Harry Potter and the Weaving Lines of Fate Part 4
by yinyangsangel
Summary: REWRITE. Fate is funny. One would expect that they are straight and guide a person down the road that they is ahead of them. However it isn't true. They aren't straight. The weave and twist, entwining different souls together and bringing them together changing the fates of those involved and drawing them together or dragging them apart.
1. THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

Located in the Borough of Islington, London, in a Muggle neighborhood, there was a house was invisible to the neighborhood residents, the local Muggles having long since accepted the mistake in numbering which landed number 13 next to number 11. But that wasn't actually accurate. Actually it was quite inaccurate. Hidden between number 13 and number 11 stood number 12 Grimmauld Place. For a while (since 1985 in fact) no one except a creature with a bulbous snout-like nose, bloodshot eyes, with many folds of skin and white hair growing out of his bat-like ears, house-elf named Kreacher, who would likely frighten the small muggle children that lived around, inhabited the home. That is until late 1990 when, a family of three, a mother and her two children, came and made residency there.

It took a little bit of convincing for Kreacher to help, but the house became a stark contrast of what it had been. The wallpaper had been changed and was no longer peeling, and had changed from green and silver, to a light beige color. The carpets had either been cleaned or changed all together, the rows of shrunken house-elf heads had been taken down along with the portrait of the previous owner who had screamed at the daughter of the family, reducing her to tears at one point, had been sent to the attic. Old furniture had either been refurbished or simply thrown out, and bedrooms on the second and third floor (minus two) had been redone so they actually had some personality. The kitchen had been cleaned and the tapestry in the drawing room had been torn down, folded and placed in the attic as well.

Now this family was far from normal, at least by some standards and even by wizarding standards. You see this was an odd family. For one, this family was a family of witches and one wizard. Their mother was friends with a werewolf, and before they moved here she was an auror for the Ministry of magic in Italy. The family was a bit mismatched, only two actually were physically related, the uncle was a best friend to the mother and the rest of their friends. But the one who mostly stood out, which he hated, was the son, who looked so much like his father except for his eyes which were his mothers. He didn't even physically look like his godmother or godsister. Harry Potter wasn't an ordinary wizard, even in comparison to his godmother Moria Black, his uncle Remus Lupin. He was Harry James Potter, who for the most part looked for all the world an ordinary boy of ten. He was a little short for his age and skinny, which caused his trips to the Weasley's Burrow to end up being fed a lot of food. However he also known as the Boy who Lived after surviving an attack from the dark wizard Voldemort. Orphaned by the attacked, he was raised in Italy by his godmother for nearly ten years before returning to London.

Which is where our story begins.

Harry currently was sleeping rather peacefully, burrowed into his blankets without a care in the world.

That is until fingers began poking his face.

"Harry. Harry…wake up, Harry…"

Harry groaned burrowing further into his covers.

"Haarrryyyyyy…."

"G'way."

There was silence and then footsteps leading away. Harry sighed and nuzzled his pillow. Then he heard footsteps running _back_ at him.

"No wait! Don-"

He barely voiced his plea before a 62 pound girl landed on him winding him.

"HARRY, WAKE UUUUPPPPPPP!"

"OW! Max!" He yelled after he regained his breath and shoved her off the bed. "Why is it, I'm not allowed to sleep in on _any_ of my birthdays."

"It's in my contract that as your sister, I annoy you to death…ESPECIALLY on your birthday." She stated standing up and shaking him. "Now come on, you oaf! Wake up!"

"G'way! Let me sleep Maxi-pad." He grumbled, shoving his head into his pillow. She huffed.

"Fine then, I guess I'll just have to open your Hogwarts letter by myself then!" she added. That seemed to wake him up, because he sat right up and she grinned triumphantly as he kicked off his covers, nearly kicking her off in the process and raced out of his bedroom, rushing down the stairs, followed closely by Max.

* * *

Moria looked up towards the ceiling as she set the table, hearing the distinct sound of elephants running down the halls and grinned.

"Were Sirius and his brother this loud?" she asked the house-elf who was making breakfast. He shook his head.

"No, Mistress. Only Master Sirius was this loud. Master Regulus was much quieter."

"I see." She said with a smirk and looked up as Harry and Max came rushing down.

"Where is it?" Harry stated before looking at his godmother.

"What about my good morning?" She teased. "Likewise, good morning to you too. How was my night? Fairly good." Moria teased "Also Happy birthday." She added. Harry grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry," Harry apologized. "Now, can I have it? Please?"

His godmother grinned and gave him the envelope. He took a seat on one of the table's benches and opened it, removing the letter.

_Mr. H. Potter_

_Second floor bedroom_

_12 Grimmauld Place_

_Camden, London_

"Open it already, Harry!" Max said, excitedly peeking over Harry's shoulder trying to read it. Ginny was looking over Max's shoulder, bursting with curiosity. Sure, she had looked at her brother's, but still it was so cool to see Harry's.

"I'm opening it. Calm down," he told her, pulling out the letter.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minevra McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

"Nice." Harry breathed.

Max grinned happily for him. "It's so cool! Why couldn't I have been born a year earlier! That way I would get to go with you."

Moria shook her head, placing a plate in front of her daughter. "First of all, it's not like I can decide when you were born. Secondly, one year isn't that bad, you could be waiting two years if you had been born a month or so later." she said before turning to Harry. "I've already sent the reply to Professor McGonagall, Harry, so you don't need to worry about that." She said with a smile.

"When can we go buy my school supplies?" he asked.

"Well, I was thinking we could go in the afternoon." Moria told him. "Unless you have other plans…" she stated trailing off with a smile on her face

He shook his head immediately. "In the afternoon is great!"

"But where are we going to find all this things here in London?" Max asked, reading the supply list, which she snatched from Harry before he could stop her. "A cauldron? Dragon-hide protective gloves? Besides a Halloween shop…" she said, and even then she doubted they would have all of the stuff needed. Moria looked at her daughter with a raised eyebrow.

"In Diagon Alley, obviously," Moria told them. "Where else?" she asked and the two children looked at her owl eyed. They had wanted to go to Diagon Alley for ages but could never go. "So when you're ready to go we can go. But first let's have some breakfast." Moria said and grinned when the children nodded rapidly and began to chow down as though they had been starved. She smiled then glanced at the letter she had received earlier from the same school and sighed, knowing full well what would remain hidden within the walls.

* * *

"Will you look at that…?"

"Is that Harry Potter…and look. Who is that?"

"Moria Black I heard."

"Black, Sirius Black?"

"…can't believe…"

Harry and Max glanced at each other after they exited the floos at the Leaky Cauldron while Moria seemed to have either not heard, or ignored the whispers.

"Moria Black?" A loud voice called out brashly, causing the group to turn. "Is tha' you?"

"Hagrid?" Moria questioned, and then brightened. "Hagrid, it's good to see you!" She called out as Harry and Max's jaws nearly dropped, staring at what they would consider the biggest man they had ever seen. Hagrid stood leaning against the bar, so tall that he had to stoop slightly to avoid the top of his shaggy head brushing the ceiling of the pub. His black eyes glistened as he smiled.

"Bin a while since I last saw yeh," Hagrid said smiling, the corners of his dark eyes crinkling cheerfully, "I see yeh got Harry wi' yeh, blimey he looks just like his father, got his eyes though his mother."

"Yeah he does," Moria replied, who blushed slightly at the attention being paid to him.

"Rubeus Hagrid," the giant man said thrusting a dust bin lid sized hand at Harry, "Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, pleasure to meet yeh."

"Nice to meet you too," Harry said returning Hagrid's handshake.

"And this is my daughter Maxine, but call her Max." Moria commented, gesturing and smiling at the younger girl who blushed. He glanced at Max who was looking at him shyly. He smiled at her as well, to which the little girl returned the smile.

"What brings you here Hagrid?" Moria asked.

"On official Hogwarts business, me," Hagrid said proudly, he said in a slightly softer voice, "Summat I got to collect fer Dumbledore."

"Oh," Moria said nodding and something flickered in her expression that Harry didn't have time to interpret. "We're here to get Harry's school things," She said brightly, "it's his first year at Hogwarts, and we're heading up to Gringott's first I suppose."

"Well, I'm headed there meself." Hagrid said. "I'll walk wi' yeh." Hagrid stated as they walked along the cobbled street. It was crowded, so it could have been either one. The pair had hardly ever seen so many people at the same place. The long street was so crowded with witches and wizards that it was hard to walk two yards without bumping on someone.

"Keep up you two." Moria called out as they continued towards Gringotts. The pair did so, gripping each other's hands tightly. There were a lot of sights and sounds, and Max noted that Harry's eyes lingered momentarily at a gaggle of boys looking into the Quidditch shop window and staring at a broom, The Nimbus 2000, reported to be the fastest broom up to date. Max paused momentarily to let Harry drool, but upon seeing that Moria had kept walking yanked Harry away.

"We'll look at it later." She promised. "And think, since we're meeting up with Ron and Ginny, you and Ron can both look like star struck morons."

"You realize Mum probably is the same way with the broom, right?" Harry huffed.

"True, but she's a better hider of it." She replied as they walked into the vast marble hall that was Gringotts. There, they saw that there were dozens of goblins carrying out business behind their desks, weighing mounds of gold and precious stones, and helping other patrons. It was interesting in their opinion, as in Italy the tellers were Arimaspians, who easily towered over Moria and looked like they would have crushed any of them, with their hair donned in gold and griffin feathers. Moria approached the counter, Hagrid and the two children close behind.

"Morning." Moria stated to one of the goblins, currently writing logs into a book.

"I'd like to take some money out of the Potter vault...I'm Moria-"

"I know who you are," the goblin cut her off quickly, "have you got his key?"

"Yes," Moria replied dryly, pulling a small gold key out of her bag to show the goblin. He peered at it for a few seconds.

"Right, that seems to be in order." The goblin grumbled. Max glanced at Harry and noticed he wasn't even paying attention to Moria, instead listening in on the conversation Hagrid was having with another goblin. She focused in as well.

"I've got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid whispered, but they could hear the pride in his voice and see it in his stance, "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen." The hushed tone in which Hagrid was speaking intrigued them, and he watched as the goblin's eyes scanned the letter.

"Very well," the goblin said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I'll call someone to take you down- Griphook!"

"Harry?" they heard Moria say. Harry turned from where he was watching Hagrid tuck the letter into his coat. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing!" They both said, straightening and Moria glanced over and sighed, knowing what they had probably heard. "…let's get going. We still need to shop…I can't believe I just said that." Moria murmured and the children laughed.

"Er, Moria," Hagrid said hesitantly as a goblin, Griphook, came around the desk, "d'yeh think we can go in one cart, I get dreadfully sick on 'em see, I hate teh go alone."

"I don't mind," Moria replied while both children shrugged and Griphook merely beckoned to them all with one long fingered hand, so she assumed he was alright with that. He led them out of the Hall and into a long twisting, dark corridor, faintly lit by the glow of flickering torches. Harry was too curious to hold his tongue.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" he asked Hagrid.

"Oh, yeh heard tha' did yeh?" Hagrid turned faintly pink. "I can't tell yeh tha' Harry, its Hogwarts business, very secret." Moria resisted the urge to roll her eyes, in both amusement and annoyance. Hagrid had in one swoop, increased Harry and Max's curiosity. However before they could ask, Griphook led them down until the floor began to slope steeply and they could see the beginnings of little railway tracks, then he stopped and whistled. Out of the dark came a small cart moving swiftly towards them. It stopped right before them and Griphook immediately climbed in, followed by Harry and Max, then Moria and finally Hagrid managed to squeeze himself in after much rearranging by the others, leaving Max sitting on Moria's lap. And then they were off.

Harry thought that the trip down to his family's vault could only be compared to a rollercoaster ride. Although he supposed that a theme park ride could not be as thrilling. Gringotts was vast and obviously went down for miles and miles underground. Many times it seemed as though the incredibly fast cart was going to fly off the rails and plummet into the darkness below, but it would always veer at the last moment causing everyone to jerk uncontrollably.

When Moria had first stepped off the cart her head was spinning like mad. She quickly collected the money she would need from the vault and almost hesitantly made her way back into the cart. Hagrid still leaning over the opposite side of it releasing soft moans.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," he groaned as the cart started back up. Vault seven hundred and thirteen appeared to be a large, black iron door. It had no locks or keyholes. It could have just been metal wall. Griphook got out of the cart with Hagrid this time and approached the door ahead of him. He used his long gnarled finger nails to stroke the door gently and it just melted away. Harry craned his neck eagerly to see beyond Hagrid's huge frame and was instantly disappointed. The room was empty...except for the small grubby package that Hagrid picked up from the corner of the room. It was so small that Harry had not seen it at first.

"What is that?" Harry asked as he and Max craned their heads to see before yelping as Moria cuffed them both on the head.

"It is something very secret, which must be kept very safe, alright?" Moria said.

"Alright," Harry muttered glancing at Max who shrugged, both wondering what was in the little package. After another roller coaster cart ride Moria, Harry, Max and Hagrid stood in the sunlight outside Gringotts Wizard Bank.

"I'm headin' fer the 'Cauldron'," Hagrid said queasily, "I need a drink after tha'."

Moria smiled and patted the huge man's hand. "Ok then," she said, "bye Hagrid, see you soon."

"I hope so," Hagrid tried to grin, but his face was far from happy. After Hagrid had begun his walk back to the 'Leaky Cauldron' Moria pulled out Harry's Hogwart's list.

"Let's see….well I think we can go get your robes fitted." She muttered and Harry grinned, the thought of the small little parcel disappearing.

"So what house do you think you'll get into Harry?" Max asked as she sat on a stool watching as Harry got his uniform fitted at Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. He pursed his lips trying to think.

"I hope Gryffindor like my parents and Mum…but anything that isn't Slytherin is fine by me." He said.

"Why? Slytherin is the best house that Hogwarts has." A voice said, causing the two children to look and saw that standing next to them was a blonde-haired boy with grey eyes.

"I think the Houses are equally fine." Max said trying to be diplomatic as she spotted Harry glaring at the boy. "By the way, who are you?" she asked.

"Draco Malfoy." The boy responded haughtily as though she was supposed to know the name already. When she didn't give the look of awe, merely a look of confusion, he glared at her and Max shifted uneasily. Harry glared. Max had just gotten over the bullying from Eligio, and he wasn't about to let this brat force her back down onto that road.

"So…you're hoping to be in Slytherin?" she offered and he snorted looking at her as though she was filth.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" he asked. Max merely shrugged.

"I don't think Hufflepuff is that bad…I mean two of my Mum's friends were Hufflepuff, and they were both really great." She said.

"And who were they? Pureblood?" Draco asked, for a second interested.

"One was a pureblood, the other was a muggleborn." She answered and he made a gagging sound. She blinked while Harry glared at him. He obviously didn't like how this Malfoy boy was treating her as though she was nothing better than a common house rat.

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families."

"Watch it. My mother was a muggleborn." Harry grumbled.

"Oh I'm sorry." Draco stated, though his tone clearly stated he didn't mean it. He then glanced at the pair. "Where are your parents then?"

"My parents are dead. I'm being raised by my godmum." Harry responded curtly.

"Oh…What's your surnames, anyway?" he said and she automatically curled her hands into the leg of her overalls.

"Why does it matter?" Harry spoke, trying to keep his voice calm and Draco glared at him. At that moment, Moria came in and blinked, looking at her daughter and at Harry, who looked about ready to jump over and strangle the other boy that was getting fitted.

"So…you done getting fitted, Harry?" she asked, gaining her godson's attention. He nodded, looking like he was biting the inside of his cheek. He quickly got off the podium and hurried away, Max following them without as much of a wave goodbye to Draco Malfoy. After Moria had paid for the uniform, they left. Harry glanced at Max.

"You okay?" he asked, gripping her hand as they used to do when they were younger and she would be crying because she was either scared or had scraped her knees. She returned the grip, but offered a small smile.

"I'm fine." She said but then looked directly at him. "Promise me one thing though."

"And that would be?" he asked.

"Don't be friends with that git. Or I will sneak into Hogwarts and smother you with a pillow." She said, her voice serious and he snorted and gave her a look that clearly said 'oh please'.

"Don't worry. I'd sooner send myself to an asylum before I even think about being friends with him." He said and she sighed in relief, before they both followed Moria.

* * *

It had taken them around half an hour to get the other materials of books and supplies. As they continued down the path, Max stopped in front of Eeylops Owl Emporium and glanced at her mother and brother, clutching some Galleons in her hand.

"Um, Mummy…can you and Harry go on ahead? I want to look around." She said. Moria glanced at her quizzically, but when she saw what she was looking at she smiled and figured out what she was doing. She handed Max a few more Galleons while Harry hadn't even noticed at this point and was still rereading and rereading his list.

"He'll love whatever you get him." She said softly and with that, allowed the girl to head into the apothecary as Moria followed Harry to Ollivanders. Max entered the relatively small, and dark inside building, hearing the familiar rustling of wings and creaking of boards shifting. It was like the forest at night, and in general calmed her.

"You looking for an owl miss?" A voice asked and Max turned to see an older man. She blushed and nodded shyly.

"Birthday present for my brother." She clarified, pushing her hair back and the man smiled gently.

"Well go on ahead, look around. Be careful though, some of these owls have some tempers." The man warned and she nodded and began to browse. There were screech owls, brown owls, barn owls, and tawny owls. And while as beautiful as they were…for some reason they didn't seem to fit Harry. Especially the screech owl that had took a dump on her head.

"Eww…" She grumbled using a napkin to wipe the top of her head. "An owl…why couldn't you just give him a cat, or a toad, Max? Nnnooo…it had to be a shitting owl that…" she trailed off in her mini rant when she heard a whooshing. Looking up she saw white wings that settled on a raft nearby her. She walked to the owl, who looked at her with amber eyes.

"Ah, ah! Careful with that one. She has quite the temper and doesn't really…"

"Well aren't you a pretty one." She murmured, brushing a finger gently over the owl's talon and the snowy owl side-stepped onto her hand, nipping her hair almost in an affectionate tone. Max smiled.

"I bet you don't take any lip from anyone, huh?" She cooed, petting the owl's side which she earned a soft hoot. She looked at the cashier.

"I'll take her."

* * *

"And here we are." Moria stated and Harry beamed, pulling Moria's hand towards the last shop which was narrow and shabby with peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

"Slow down, Harry. We'll get your wand, kiddo." She laughed as they entered the store. Harry looked around, almost remembering the library at the feel of the room, the back of his neck prickling. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Moria snorted at his reaction and he ruffled his hair. An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello." Harry replied awkwardly, his face burning.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work." Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes. "And that's where..."

Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he continued softly. "Thirteen-and-a- half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands...well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..." He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Moria.

"Moria! Moria Prescott! Actually, I believe it's Black now. How nice to see you again...Wenge, ten and quarter inches, with a dragon heartstring, rather pliable, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes," Moria replied.

"Good wand, that one.

"It was…"

"May I inquire what happened to it? That craftsmen ship is certainly not mine…why, I say it was…Amadeo's work."

"Er…let's just say that your wand defended me till its last spell." Moria replied, rubbing the back of her head.

"Hmmm…" Mr. Ollivander murmured. "Well, now — Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Right."

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —"

Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

Moria leaned against the doorframe and watched in amusement as Harry tried several more wands, causing an explosion of one lamp, several boxes of paperwork to come flying out of its' original spots. Harry turned to glare at her.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" He grumbled to which his godmother shrugged, and crossed her eyes. Finally Ollivander went up to one of his top shelves and pulled out a single box.

With this one, no boxes flew out, nothing that could be considered a catastrophe happened. Instead a gust of wind fluttered around Harry.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Moria whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well...how curious...how very curious..."

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious...curious...

"What?" she asked. "Something wrong?"

Mr. Ollivander first looked at Moria before he fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry swallowed.

Moria stiffened and moved from her spot in front of the shop. "You mean he…had the other wand?"

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember...I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter...After all, He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."

Moria's gaze hardened and after paying for the wand, Moria hurried herself and Harry out of the store, trying to get away from the old man. A small part of her was angry that he made Voldemort sound like he was some great deity or conqueror. He was nothing but a murderer to her—someone who had killed her best friends leaving their son orphaned, who's followers tortured two of her other friends to insanity, and, at some point, she was sure, caused the man she loved to be in Azkaban for something he hadn't done.

"What did he mean by that? Great things?" Harry asked her nervously as they walked through the street. Moria looked at him and sighed, slowing down so she wasn't essentially dragging him.

"It is probably nothing, Harry," she told him, even though she wasn't so sure about it. Her job as a mother was to protect him. "A lot of people share wand cores. For example I shared a wand core with a brat in Slytherin who was always trying to beat me in grades for transfiguration." She joked, trying to ease his worry.

"But not with _him_." Harry told her, hesitating before saying the rest. "Does this mean I am going to be evil?" he whispered.

Hearing that, Moria stopped walking and turned to him, placing her hands on his shoulders, looking at him sternly as she bent down to look into eyes. "Harry, no matter what wand you might have, you are what you make yourself be, you hear me? It is not the wand that makes the wizard. There is good and evil in all of us. Light and dark. We all have it…it just depends on which path the person chooses to take. Besides, I'll be here to pull you back into the right path if you ever start doing stupid things and I'll be sure to hit you across the head if you even try to go down that path."

"Thank you," he said, surprised at how her words had worked on calming him down.

She gave him a little smile as they resumed walking. "No need to thank me. That is what I am here for." She said. He then realized they were one person short.

"Where did Max go? Did we get separated from her?!" he asked, alarmed. "How long has she not been here?!"

"Harry-"

"Harry! Mummy!" they heard seconds later and Moria looked up to see Max rushing towards them, clutching an owl's cage that had been covered with a tarp. "I finally found you two!"

"Where were you?" Harry asked hurriedly, then his brows furrowed in confusion. "What is that?" he asked, pointing to what she was carrying. Max was panting as she got up to them but then extended the cage to him with a bright smile, her face flushed with red.

"Your birthday present from me. I was really careful and I hope you like her." She said. A hoot came from the cage and Harry's eyes widened before he quickly handed the rest of his school items to Moria and pulled back the cover on the cage, revealing a snow white owl, who blinked looking at him in confusion and interest. He blinked several times as though to make sure he wasn't dreaming this and then his face broke into a wide grin of utter joy.

Moria watched as he thanked Max again and again, now the one clutching the cage, his previous fears of becoming like Voldemort forgotten with the surprise of the gift. She looked up into the sky.

It was good to be home.

* * *

"Harry?"

"Yeah."

He rolled over to see Max standing there, staring nervously. "What is it?"

"You promise you'll write to me right?" She murmured.

"Of course." He replied with a yawn. "I'd be stupid not to."

"And will you promise that you won't get into _too_ much trouble?"

"Yes Maxi-pad." He grumbled.

"Sorry…"

He looked up at the blurry image of his kid sister before shifting and lifting up his arm. He felt his bed dip down and then the familiar body curl up to him. It was so familiar and nostalgic and in a sense calmed his own nerves that were running rampant through his system, though he didn't admit it. The warmth calmed him as Max's back rested against his stomach. The familiar scent lulled him back to sleep and the memories of the pair of them exploring the forest of Italy. Before he knew it, it was morning and Moria was helping him prepare.

"What if I get in Slytherin?"

"Hm?"

"In Hogwarts. What if I get into Slytherin?" Harry asked looking at the train, kicking some of the dust on the floor. "Or the hat just says I don't have any magic, or-"

"Or what if I grow fox ears and a tail and suddenly have an inkling for lemmings and mice." Moria teased and he flushed as she kneeled down in front of him. "You'll be just fine Harry James Potter." She promised. "And whatever house you get into, they will have a brilliant witch in their midst.

"…you'll still love me if I'm in Slytherin, right?" He asked fiddling with his hands. She smiled ruffling his hair.

"Always. Now then, you can have fun, but I'd love not to get too many visits from McGonagall complaining about your behavior this term," she told him. "You don't have to try and break your father's record of detentions in a year okay?" she asked

"You know most parental figures don't encourage misbehaving." Harry stated with a grin.

"Do you want me to?" she asked, an eyebrow raised and he shook his head before he turned to a depressed Max. "Hey, don't be like that…" he said, patting her head.

"Promise me you'll write." she pleaded. It was the fact that he had always been around since she remembered, playing the role of a brother and a friend, and they had never really been separated for long periods of time. It made her nervous and wondered how her mother could be lasting without her father. At least she wouldn't be alone as she'd be keeping Remus company and visit the Weasley's a lot. It made her feel better…but still.

"Only if you promise to write back," he told her. "Hedwig would be happy to return the letters." He said, glancing at the owl, who looked proud.

"I will." she promised with a little smile, and he grinned, giving her a hug which she returned.

"Alright, have a good term." Moria told him, kissing her godson's cheek and ruffling his hair before he entered the train "I'll see you at Hogwarts."

"Bye!" Max yelled after him. She wanted to go so badly and keep him company. What if he didn't make any friends?

No that was silly. He would make friends. He was friendly and nice and loyal and-

"Now Maxine, promise me you'll be good for Remus." Moria interrupted her train of thought. Max pouted.

"Why can't I go too? I mean Harry."

"It's Harry year, Max. You just have to wait a year, sweetheart. And I'll be teaching, so I can't really help you or be there for you if you came along. Besides, who would keep Moony company?" Moria asked gesturing to Remus who looked at her amused. The girl glanced at him and then blushed.

"I guess..."

"Now…remember no following Remus during those times, and be polite, alright?"

"I know Mum." She declared, rolling her eyes, and looking downright annoyed. Moria smiled, teasingly ruffling her hair.

"Good. Now…you do remember what I told you earlier right?" She asked. The little girl smiled brightly and almost mischievously nodded. Remus glanced at two, an eyebrow rising.

"Alright, what did you tell her?"

"You'll find out." The woman replied, and then grinned. "Now, don't worry; I'll keep an eye on Geoffrey."

"I'll be fine. Besides I have to look after George, Fred, and Lee, remember?"

"Now, you two, this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've…you've blown up a toilet or something to that nature." female, familiar to Moria, voice said, interrupting Geoffrey. She looked around to see that that voice belonged to a short plump redhead woman that was standing by one of the train's entrances surrounded by several redhead children, nearly four of them holding a trolley.

"Speak of the devils." Geoffrey murmured then grinned.

"Oye, you two redheads already getting caught? Shameful!"

The said group turned and they saw Ginny brighten.

"Max!"

"Ginny!" Max returned rushing to the girl with a bright smile. "How are you?"

"I'm wonderful…well…not really since I can't go to Hogwarts."

"Me too…" The young Black agreed. "But at least we won't be alone in our wallowing."

"True." Ginny said with a laugh, before the train whistle sounded.

"We'll see you at Christmas, GinGin!" George stated rushing away, followed by Fred. After saying goodbye to his father, Geoffrey was close behind. Moria bent down and hugged her daughter tightly.

"Right to me whenever you want to, and remember to use those mirrors okay? Your Dad would have a stroke if he found out you had one and didn't use it to try and wreak havoc."

Max laughed weakly, brushing her hands over her face and nodded. She watched as her mother climbed onto the train and several moments later the train slowly departed.

* * *

Moria sighed, cracking her back as she finally got out of the floo, her hair barely mussed up and brushed away unseen ash.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts Moria." She heard and looked up to see Dumbledore. She offered a slight smile. "I presume dropping Harry off at the train was uneventful."

"Well other than what is usual, nothing spectacular happened to-"

"Well, well if it isn't the ever acclaimed Moria Prescott." A voice drawled in a bored tone. Moria froze and slowly turned, staring at the man in black robes and had long black, greasy hair whose eyes bore into hers. "Back from the dead I see and back to taint other impressionable minds, how…delightful."

"Severus Snape?" Moria murmured in shock.

"Bright as ever." Snape returned evenly though his tone suggested boredom even annoyance. "Shall I send condolences to all of my students now or later?" He asked as Moria's eyes narrowed.

"We all know you weren't the most patient of women. Better be now rather than later why I have to explain to my students-"

Moria's wand being withdrawn and aimed at him stopped any taunt.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" She snarled angrily.

"Oh didn't you know?" Snape asked and Moria's glare darkened. "I'm the Potions professor, have been for several years now."

"Why the hell would they let you teach children after what you did in the First Wizarding War?" Moria snapped.

"I was acquitted, as you should know, due to my change in loyalties."

"Change in loyalties?! Oh give me a bre-"

"It is true Moria, Severus helped us in the War." Albus stated softly and Moria glanced at him. "I do believe that the first years will be arriving at any time, you do wish to see Harry being sorted, do you not?"

Mentioning Harry seemed to do the trick as her wand lowered, but the dangerous look didn't leave her expression as she pocketed her wand. Dumbledore smiled almost in amusement, and turned to leave.

"I fail to see why Dumbledore chose you to be the teacher for History of Magic." Snape drawled as they walked down the hall. "You certainly aren't the best of role models." He added glancing at her attire.

"If I wanted fashion advice, I don't think I would be going to you for it, Snape." Moria commented dryly noticing the look. "Unless of course I wanted to look like a dozen ink bottles were poured on me."

"I was more inferring to who you married, Moria Black. I certainly doubt parents of students would be happy if they knew that a teacher here was the wife of a murderer."

"If that was your worry then maybe you should be concerned as well Snape." She replied coldly. "You may have eventually turned to our side, but you still worked under Voldemort as one of his precious Deatheaters." She continued and watched Severus's mouth clamp shut and his mouth tighten into a thin line. Knowing she had won this fight she turned back around and continued walking, following Dumbledore. Finally they entered the Great Hall and Moria sat the farthest away from Severus, making it a point she did not like him. It seemed that this sentiment surprised no one as none questioned her. It was moments after that the first years filed in, all looking pale and terrified. Moria snorted lightly. Probably thought there was going to be a test of some sort. As the Sorting Hat came onto life and after finishing its song Moria saw the group of first years relax, slightly, as they were still nervous for the whole sorting, but were relieved with the concept of not having an actual test.

After the hat finished, McGonagall stepped forward.

"When I call your name, you put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too.

Lavender Brown became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; George and Fred catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Moria noticed Ron's expression fall as the young girl rushed over to the Neville Longbottom was called, Moria stared at him. He definitely had Frank's face, though his hair and eyes were all Alice. She swallowed as he fell over on his way to the stool. She had sent letters to him, however rarely received one back. She wasn't sure if it was just due to Frank's mother not wishing to upset Neville further of a friend of his parents trying to contact him, or Neville himself deciding not to keep in contact. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to McGonagall. Moria clapped loudly at his placing, knowing that Alice and Frank would be proud.

"Malfoy, Draco."

Draco Malfoy. Lucius's son swaggered forward when his name was called. Moria rolled her eyes and wasn't surprised that he got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself. There weren't many people left now.

"Moon"

"Nott"

"Parkinson"

Then a pair of twin girls, Patil.

"Perks, Sally-Anne"

Then, at last —

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

Moria watched as the hat was placed onto Harry's head. For several moments it was silent, the hat mumbling to himself in thought, Harry gripping the stool tightly, muttering something himself. Moria noted that he was mumbling "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin."

"Better be…GRYFFINDOR!"

Moria grinned brightly and clapped loudly, though her joy was quickly drowned out by the rest of the school, Gryffindor's row of tables in particular. Harry walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. The procession of more names continued with Thomas Dean coming up next and being sorted into Gryffindor, Turnpin Lisa who entered the Ravenclaw house and finally it was Ron's turn. The hat was placed onto his head, his face a pale green.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yelled as Ron's posture relaxed in relief before hurrying to Harry's side. Finally Blaise Zabini was called and placed into Slytherin. Moria smiled watching Harry mingle with the other Gryffindor's and smiled when he glanced at her and gave her a grin that reminded her of James so much.

It seemed that he was a Gryffindor through and through.

* * *

**BEGINNING OF PART 4! WHAT DO YOU THINK?**


	2. O' MY BROTHER

Moria sighed as she stretched and cracked her back, looking at her lesson plan for that week. Some items for the six years would have to be pushed back due to a debate on the troll wars that had occurred in the earlier class. She sighed as she pushed her hair back, deep in thought. Vaguely she remembered that today was Harry's first flying lesson. She hoped he enjoyed it more than he enjoyed potions. Remembering what Harry had informed her annoyed her to no end. She could understand his hostility towards her, but Snape taking his aggression out on Harry and even Neville for something the boy had no control over just aggravated her. She knew the only reason why he was like that to Harry was because of James, but she had wished that the slimy bastard would have at least taken the fact Harry was Lily's son as well into consideration.

"_Why would he do that? You know he blames James for turning Lily to the 'dark side'…or whatever he calls it. And you know why he dislikes Neville."_ A voice objected and Moria sighed, knowing it to be true. She continued changing her plans as she thought about the other tidbit of news she had received earlier on, literally the same day after she, Harry, and Max had returned from school shopping.

The break in at Gringotts.

From what she had heard Aurors and Goblins had no idea how the perpetrator had gotten into the vault, even more so how they got out. Nothing had been stolen as the vault had been emptied earlier. She frowned, rubbing her forehead.

Who would want that package so desperately that they would risk it? Obviously Dumbledore had been right to worry about the attempted theft, but that worried her more with it being-

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door to her classroom opened up and when she looked up, in entered Harry and McGonagall. Moria groaned.

"Harry, it's only been a week." She protested weakly and the 11 year old gulped. Minerva McGonagall smiled however.

"He isn't in any trouble of the sort, Moria. In fact we're here to ask you something."

"...mhm…?" Moria asked hesitantly, looking at her godson who smiled sheepishly at her, which went away as her eyes narrowed at him and he took a sudden interest at a chart on the wall behind her.

"I believe I found the seeker for the Gryffindor team in your godson."

"…Huh?"

The glare had vanished within a moment as Moria's jaw went slack and she looked at the older witch. McGonagall smiled proudly, and held up Neville's Rememberall.

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," McGonagall told Moria. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

"Fifty….what was he doing in the air at fifty feet?" Moria asked.

"Malfoy took Neville's Rememberall, and I went after him." Harry protested.

"I've already asked Wood, and he's more than excited to have Harry on the team. I'll talk to Dumbledore about it. Heaven knows we need a better team than last year. Slytherin flattened us."

Moria looked back and forth at her old mentor and godson, both mirroring the images of hope. She let out a sigh.

"I….suppose."

Harry nearly tackled Moria, holding her tightly.

"ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou!" He exclaimed, hopping around. She smiled despite herself, patted his head.

"I'll get you a broom in a few days, alright?"

"What kind?"

"That's a surprise." She replied. "Now, can you try and not get into any more trouble for me this week?" She asked and he grinned.

"I can do that."

"Good, now off to your next class. Ron is probably losing his mind with worry." She replied, and Harry beamed and rushed away. McGonagall left soon after and Moria sighed, heading back to her desk.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Mr. Potter received an award for misbehaving."

"…I swear do you honestly just enjoy stalking me?" She asked sarcastically not even turning. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to flirt, but we both know that isn't the case."

"Hmph. I see time hasn't done wonders to your attitude."

"The same could be said the same of you, Severus." Moria retorted blandly as she turned, glaring at the potions master. "Why are you even here? If it's about those points, you can have your sixth year explain why I did not approve of him placing a kick me sign on another students back."

"I'm here to inquire about what type of punishments you give that godson of yours, considering his arrogance in my class. But I see you clearly don't punish him."

"Well gee Severus, seeing as you punish him for simply not knowing potion ingredients, which I might add several are items you test seven years, I think you punish too severely." Moria responded coolly. "Then again we both know it's not Harry you're punishing in your head."

"I haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about." Snape replied tartly, sneering at Moria.

"I wonder Severus, if Harry looked more like Lily other than her eyes, would you treat him like this?" Moria asked and Severus's expression changed slightly. "Oh I see…that's the only reason why you hate him, isn't it? Because he's James's son."

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"So, what pissed you off more? The fact that Harry's James's son, or the fact that Harry isn't yours? Because it's not Harry's fault that Lily broke your friendship." She replied coldly and his grip on the door frame tightened. Moria returned to her desk and sat down. "You did that yourself."

The door slamming shut was his reply and Moria inwardly groaned, knowing Harry was likely going to be the one paying for that. Now unable to concentrate Moria sighed and grabbed her wand, pocketing some galleons and headed to a fireplace. It seemed that broom shopping was in order.

* * *

"How do Mr. Jacob and Mr. William find anything up here?" Ginny asked as she and Max sorted through items of the brother's attic. "My Dad's shed is neater than this."

"I think it has something to do with they know where items are in this mess." Max commented, lifting up a magazine before tossing it as they continued exploring.

"What's this?" Ginny asked pulling a box out of the pile and setting it on the ground. Max glanced in and spotted pictures of a man, a woman, and a little girl. She smiled fondly.

"I think that's my grandparents and my mum." She stated, moving items around in the box. "They must have had all this stuff from them and then after the accident just…forgot about it." She muttered looking at the image of her grandfather and mother. Moria was smiling brightly in the image, a childlike innocence that she had never really seen before.

"Wow your Mum looks so happy." Ginny remarked looking at the image.

"After Grandpa and Grandma died it was really hard for her." Max admitted and Ginny nodded in agreement.

"Mum's the same when it comes to her brothers. She doesn't really like talking about them. I mean she will, but it's more of a memory type of thing, and it's really short." Ginny admitted with a shrug as they continued looking through a box. As Max lifted a dust covered music box, an envelope fell out and slid onto the ground. Max stopped and bent down, looking at the envelope. It was still sealed, never been open. Looking at the received notice on the front she understood why. It had arrived nearly two or three days after her grandparents had been killed. Probably Jacob and William couldn't deal with opening their mail.

"Whose it from?" Ginny asked.

"Dunno. Some lady named Giselle Bently." Max murmured, furrowing her brow. "I don't think my Mum knew her."

"Well are you going to open it?"

"It's addressed to my grandpa."

"Well it's not like he can open it." Ginny remarked and Max silently agreed. She pressed her thumb just under the edge and began to open.

"Girls, we made lunch!"

"I made lunch. If you fed them, they'd be dead."

The girls looked up and Max pocketed the letter before the pair hurried down the steps of the attic. It was later in the day after Max had returned to the Lupin's cottage that she remembered the letter. Sitting down on the spare bed, she opened the letter. Her brow furrowed at the contents and then her eyes widened, her mouth dropped open as she finished the contents.

"Max, dinner." Remus called out, but this time she didn't move. She heard Remus walk to the small guest room, knocking on the door.

"Max didn't you hear me?"

"…I…I have an uncle?"

"Yes, your father had a younger brother." Remus remarked confused. "But you already know that."

"No. Moony, read." Max stated pushing the letter to him. Remus looked at her confused then opened the letter and began to read its contents. His brow furrowed and he looked back at Max, whose face was paler than normal.

"Moony…"

"I'll talk to her about it."

"But is it even true? I mean…"

"I don't know. But I'll find out." He promised and, biting her lip, she nodded.

* * *

His first Halloween at Hogwarts hadn't turned out _quite_ the way Harry had wanted. In the aspects of the feast, it was awesome, absolutely delicious. Though he could tell his godmother was a bit more subdued, as she always was, that day. The teachers didn't talk to her that much, even Professor Snape who had never seemed to have a problem in annoying or trying to aggravate Moria before seemed to leave her alone today. To be honest, she had always been like that on Halloween. But other than that, everything seemed perfectly fine.

Then everything took a drastic turn.

Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.

"Troll in the dungeons! Troll in the dungeons!" He cried out. The teachers all stared at him as Dumbledore rose.

"Thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately! Teachers, follow me."

Percy was in his element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," Ron replied. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."

"Well that's a horrible joke."

They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.

"Hermione."

"What about her?" Ron asked

"She doesn't know about the troll."

Ron bit his lip.

"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy better not see us."

Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, and when the coast was clear, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.

"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin. Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"

"Search me."

Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.

"He's heading for the third floor…" Harry started to say, but Ron held up his hand.

"Can you smell something?"

Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.

And then they heard it — a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed — at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.

"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in.

"Good idea."

They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

"Yes!"

Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop — a high, petrified scream — and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up.

"Oh, no," Ron whispered, pale as the Bloody Baron.

"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.

"Hermione!" they said together.

It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have?

Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside. Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"Confuse it!" Harry cried out desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall. The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.

"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.

The shouting and the echoed seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped – it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

"Ron, do something!"

"What?!"

"ANYTHING!"

Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand — not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head.

The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble. Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

It was Hermione who spoke first.

"Is it — dead?"

"I don't think so," Harry said, I think it's just been knocked out."

He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh — troll boogers."

He wiped it on the troll's trousers. A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. And behind them all stood Moria who seemed incredibly stunned.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" Professor McGonagall asked, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air.

"You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?" Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor. He wished Ron would put his wand a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I — I thought I could deal with it on my own — you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

"Well — in that case ..." stated Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this." said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

"Ahem."

The group turned and Harry's relief as quickly as it had appeared vanished as his godmother walked up, her arms crossed as she stared at Harry.

"Uh…Mu-"

He yelped as she smacked him upside the head, and then began to scold him…in Italian.

"Un troll?! Sei andato contro un troll?! Ho detto cerca di non mettersi nei guai troppo non vita o di morte PROBLEMI!" _(A troll?! You went against a troll?! I said try not to get into too much trouble not life or death PROBLEMS!)_

"Ma mamma!" _(But Mama!)_ Harry protested returning the Italian.

"Niente ma! Oh, quando abbiamo un break tu sei così a terra! Come mai riuscito a quasi farti ammazzare nel tuo primo anno? Ci sono voluti tuo padre fino al suo quinto anno di farlo!" _(No buts! Oh, when we have a break you're so grounded! How could you almost get killed in your first year?! It took your father until his fifth year to do it!)_

The group that was still there looked back and forth as though it was a tennis match as both Harry and Moria argued in Italian, Moria groaning in exasperation as she looked at her godson.

"Do this again Harry, and if you die, I'll kill you."

"Um…isn't that not really po…" Ron began but trailed off by a glare from Moria. She returned her gaze to Harry and then sighed.

"Be grateful that you're alright. All three of you." She stated with a huff and the three children hurriedly nodded and then scampered away.

"What did she say?"

"Pretty much everything McGonagall said, only in Italian and eliciting a whole lot more fear." Harry stated, gulping and the pair gulped with him. But after that day, Hermione and the pair of boys were the best of friends. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

* * *

"And I swear, that boy just wants me to have a heart attack."

"…hm? Oh right." Remus stated later that week, earning a confused look from Moria.

"You alright? You've been awfully quiet today, which is weird because you're the one who wanted to meet up?"

"There's been…a development."

"You actually got a girlfriend?"

"What? No!"

"…boyfriend?"

"NO! Why would you think-! Never mind, I forget who you're married to sometimes." Remus grumbled at the smirk she had given him. "Anyway…Max, found something a few days ago in one of the boxes that Jacob and William had."

"…okay…she's not scarred is she? I know those two have some strange things, but they were bachelors for a good majority and-"

"…you have a brother, Moria."

"…huh?"

"More specifically an older half-brother." Remus stated and Moria's eyes narrowed.

"Very funny, Remus. But need I remind you, that my parents died before either one of them could have had an affair." She reminded him. Remus swallowed, knowing he was stepping into dangerous territory. It was fair knowledge to anyone, talking about her family wasn't something Moria routinely enjoyed doing. Even Sirius had had to essentially pull teeth to get anything about her past.

"I…don't think that your father had an affair. I think at the point that the woman and him got together he hadn't even met your mother."

"Remus, what are you talking about? My father-"

"Here. It was postmarked around the same time that your parents…" He trailed off and then handed her the open letter. "Around the same time when the crash happened. I suspect that Jacob and William were too far into grieving to actually open it, and as time passed, they forgot." He added. Moria looked at him suspiciously and then took the envelope and retrieved the letter from it.

_Maarten,_

_You probably don't remember me, seeing as we were both drunk as shit. But you were 16 and I was 18, and that night we spent well lets you left more than either of us bargained for. You got me knocked up. I spent ten years trying to manage this son of yours, but I can't anymore. Took me a few months to even find you, but I'm asking you now. Why don't you take care of your son for once?_

_His name is Mason, and if you even __**claim**__ that he can't be yours, he looks exactly like you. Just in a ten year old body._

_Giselle Bently_

Remus stared at Moria's expression, which seemed oddly placid as she read and reread the contents.

"I'll just go…" He stated and made a move to leave, but she suddenly gripped the end of his jacket and he glanced at her.

"Remus…what should I do?" She murmured pushing her hair back. "I mean should I go looking for this person? This Mason." She asked as he sat down.

"I can't answer that."

"It's been…what 26 years since the letter was sent?" She asked with a sigh. "Besides the fact that he may not even be alive., how do I know she wasn't lying?"

"The only way to know is to visit her or find him." Remus replied and Moria groaned.

"Of course."

"If you want me to go with you, I can."

"No…no…it's probably better I go by myself. Though I can't say I'm looking too forward to it. Now I just need to find him…and see if what she says is true."

* * *

The month of November hadn't start out as well as Moria had hoped, which did little to bolster her anxiousness. While Gryffindor had won the Quidditch game, with Harry nearly swallowing the Snitch, the effect on her heart when someone had jinxed Harry's broom to try and knock him off it hadn't quite settled. And now this...

Gulping she looked at the tattoo parlor that she was in front of. This time she wasn't there for a tattoo…instead if she had gotten it right, her supposed half-brother worked here. She didn't understand why she was so nervous. Obviously it wasn't true, seeing as if this woman had wanted to get rid of her son, she wouldn't have waited ten years. Biting her lip she entered, hearing the sounds of drills, music, and looked around at the walls that were showcasing the different tattoos.

"Here for an appointment?" A gruff voice asked and she looked to her left to see a heavy set man in his late forties sitting at a table. Relief struck her. If that was Mason Bently then there was no way that he was her brother, and she had gone on a wild goose chase.

"Um…I'm here to see Mason Bently." She replied and the man huffed.

"Oye, Bently! Got yourself another fan!"

"Oh really?" Another voice, this one younger and from the back room of the shop called out and she heard footsteps. A figure strode out, clad in a white undershirt tank top and baggy trousers. Moria's heart crawled into her throat as he looked up and stared at her.

And she was staring at her father's face.

There were some differences. His eyes were a murky blue, his hair was a slightly different shade of brown, he had tattoos covering his arms, and he was paler…but that face, the raised eyebrow as he looked at her, the grin that crossed his face. That was her father…their father.

And boy did that open a can of worms.

"Sssooo…you here for a tattoo? Got to say, for a woman older than 18, that's quite a commitment. Want a gingerbread on your wrist?"

"W…what? Oh, no wait. I'm not here for a tattoo…"

"Well, we don't sell clothes." Mason replied turning around. She swallowed and took a step-forward.

"Do you know a Maarten Nathanial Prescott?"

Mason froze and the other man looked up at Moria then slid his glance over at Mason's back, which had straightened.

"Look Lady, I don't know who you think you are. But barging in here and uttering that godforsaken name…"

"So…he is your father?"

"Only by blood."

"Mason-"

"Look, why don't you find someone else to bother about their problems."

"…My name is….Moria Althea Prescott." She finally managed and Mason turned at that. Moria tried to swallow the lump in the back of her throat.

"And…I'm your sister."

* * *

"So you're Maarten and his wife's kid." Mason stated in the back room as he set a glass of water down in front of Moria.

"Yes, but there's something-"

"How did you find out about me?"

"My daughter found a letter that your mother sent to him."

"So he did get it." Mason replied, his voice cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Well yes, but-"

"If your dad is worried about paying child support, tell him to not bother. Mom doesn't need it."

"My…Our dad doesn't know about you still."

"Oh of course he doesn't. Why would he care about his eldest son, even if it wasn't with the love of his l-"

"Mum and Dad died when I was five in a car accident." She blurted out and he froze. "When your mother's letter arrived, they had been dead for nearly a week."

He was still, his back to her. She swallowed and stood.

"Mason, Dad died never knowing about you." She continued, pressing a hand on his shoulder, and thankfully he didn't reject it. He was just staring straight ahead. She looked down, and then backed away.

"If you don't want to talk, I understand…I just thought-"

"Who did that tattoo of yours?"

"Pardon?"

"That tattoo. Who did it? Because it looks like a first grader drew it."

"It's supposed to hide a scar. It wasn't meant-"

"It causes people to look more at it if it's horribly done. Sit down, take off your jacket and let me look."

It took Moria a few moments to realize that this was his method of spending time with her. She sat down as he said and pulled her jacket off. He rolled up her left sleeve and then clucked disapprovingly.

"What is with these vines?" He asked. Moria shrugged.

"I didn't particularly mind it."

"You should. It's a waste of money if the tattoo doesn't look good. I'll be redoing this."

"I…huh?"

"Redoing this. The flower is salvageable, but these vines, I'll have to work on them."

"But…"

He looked at her and she trailed off and then looked at her right arm.

"…Mason, I have a request."

* * *

"You're getting another tattoo?"

"I asked Mason…and I guess in some aspects I get to talk to my brother." Moria commented with a sigh as Geoffrey struggled to catch up with her. "So I likely won't be able to spend a whole lot of time with your father, if you could inform him. I know he's been busy with looking for jobs so I won't intervene to tell him that."

"Oh I don't mind." Geoffrey stated and glanced at her as she sighed. "But I somehow feel that you do."

"Honestly, I don't know if I can do this."

"What? Be a sister?"

"In lack of more words, yes." Moria replied, not sure why she was telling this to a 13 year old.

"Well I think it's cool that you're trying to make a connection with him."

"Yeah, except I'm awful with making connections."

"I don't know, I mean I think if Mum had lived, she'd be all for pushing Dad to make more connections." Geoffrey stated. "I mean the more connections you make the less lonely you are." He added and she glanced at him curiously.

"…what are you planning?"

"Nothing, why?"

"Because this is you and I feel like you're planning something to get Remus to make more connections."

"Haven't a clue what you're talking about." He stated.

"Oye! Geoffrey! Come on!" They heard and Moria turned just in time to avoid Lee, George, and Fred. The trio chuckled and dragged the Ravenclaw after them and Moria could hear Filch yelling.

"Dung bomb worked like a charm!" George stated and Geoffrey seemed to groan as the four took off. He looked over his shoulder briefly.

"Oh and Professor Black! It should be a phoenix!"

"What should?"

"Nothing, you idiot! Just run!" Geoffrey stated before the quartet ran around the right corner. Seconds later Filch came running by, panting wildly.

"Which way?!"

"Left." Moria responded dryly, turning around and heading in the opposite direction as Filch began screaming for the boys to stop and ran down the left hall. She smiled.

A phoenix, huh?

* * *

"You have an amazing tolerance for pain." Mason grumbled as she sat there, allowing him to change the tattoo on her left arm. "Most people would be whining."

"Yeah well…compared on how I got the scar, a little needle boring ink into my skin isn't that bad." Moria commented.

"How'd you get it anyways?"

"Car accident."

"Ah."

Moria bit her lip. She honestly didn't want to lie to him…he had been lied to enough, but rules were rules and this wasn't something she could break. Not yet at least.

"Dad have many tattoos?"

"No…he wanted some, don't get me wrong…but Mum was a bit more hesitant about the idea." She added and he scoffed.

"She would have loved me then."

"I think she would have actually."

"Please. I'm the son of a one night stand between Dad and a girl he picked up at a bar. I doubt I would have been that popular."

"Mum wouldn't have cared."

Mason was quiet but continued to ink the new lines of the tattoo.

"So…what's your life like? I've only really seen you here."

"I have a two year old girl."

"Wife?"

"Divorced. She didn't want to take care of Melody, so I got custody." He responded, not caring to elaborate.

"Melody…yet another M name."

"Amusing?" He asked as she let out a slight chuckle.

"Nothing…just it's really tradition that we all have M names." She said with a laugh. "The Prescott family is infamous for it."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Dad, all his brothers, his sister, my mother, our grandparents…us. Their names all started with an M."

He was silent to this, and she sighed. Making small talk with a previously unknown older brother was proving to be more difficult than she had planned. It didn't really help that she was awkward when it came to bonding with people. Withholding a groan, she blew her breath sharply upward, pushing a bang back.

She didn't know what to do…hell how to handle this.

"…so besides tattooing…what do you do for fun?"

"I'm in a band. Not as big or as popular as Dad's band was probably."

"Okay, Dad and his teammates liked to think they had a shot…but I think they were smart enough to realize it probably wasn't going to takeoff and they were going to become sensations like the Beatles." She remarked. "Besides, Dad and Mum were starting to settle down since I had come along."

"I see. What about you?"

"Me?"

"I see the ring on your finger. You married?"

"…yeah."

"Past tense?"

"No, we're still married…he's just not here."

"Dead?"

"_If only..." _She thought. Then she wouldn't have had to worry about his mental state for so long.

"No." She replied shortly. He didn't push, obviously he could see that it was awkward for her.

"Have any kids?"

"Two. My daughter Max, and my son Harry."

"I see you didn't give Harry an M name."

"He's my godson. His parents…died…when he was a year old. I've been taking care of him since then." She replied softly and he briefly paused, glancing up at her.

"I see."

More awkward silence, the only sound was the buzzing of the drill. Finally Mason moved away and Moria looked at him.

"Well I think that should do it for today." Mason responded gruffly and Moria nodded getting off the table after it had been bandaged properly. "Be easy on it."

"I will…thanks. See you later?"

"…yeah." He responded. She hesitated before quickly hugging him and then leaving. He stood there briefly before sighing and going over to clean his tools.

"…you know, you shouldn't be so awkward around her." His colleague stated looking over at his friend. "She's trying to make a connection with you."

"It's been 36 years. 31 for her. You can't expect me to bounce right back after finding out that my dad didn't abandon me, just died. You can't even expect me to forgive him."

"I'm not. And I doubt she is either. The point is, however, she wants to be able to make a connection."

"How can I? She only sees the good her family was. How can she understand why I resent them?"

"How do you know she's not resentful?" The older tattooist asked and the young man looked at him. "She lost both her parents tragically in an accident, and judging by her personality and demeanor, had to go through a lot of hell afterwards. Do you not think she isn't slightly resentful for her parents leaving her so suddenly and quickly? That's the difference between you and her Mason. You had a mother. She had only herself as immediate family." He responded before getting up. "Don't take your own vendetta out against her. She doesn't want to be alone just as much as you don't."

Mason looked down at the drill and sighed, pushing his hair back.

* * *

The year progressed rather rapidly. Moria hadn't been much surprised that Harry had gotten caught sneaking out. And it wasn't that surprising, though annoying, that McGonagall had deducted 50 points each from Hermione, Neville, Harry, and Draco. That had resulted in her lecturing Lavender and Parvarti after she had caught them teasing Hermione and writing notes about her. She had also given the pair detention, and had warned to count their blessings that she didn't take away more points as she didn't' tolerate or ignore bullying. But what had annoyed her about was Harry's punishment was to go into the Forbidden Forest, and when she had found what had actually transpired there, she was quite sure that Lily and James probably heard her yell angrily at Dumbledore and at Hagrid. It had been two weeks since then and she was _still_ fuming.

"Honestly, I know James and Sirius went out there, but they were older than 11." She hissed out angrily as she stormed down the street towards Mason's tattoo shop. It was the end of the exam periods, and she had finished up with her exams. She would start grading them that night, but honestly she needed _something_ to distract her and not go and kill the half-giant, even though she knew his heart had been in the right place.

Mason looked up and offered a half grin.

"You seem stressed."

"Contemplating murdering someone."

"Sounds interesting." He joked as Moria sighed, plopping down next to him. They had finished with her left arm and were now working on her right, a phoenix covering her arm and other scar. The outline was done, and now it was just coloring in. "But seeing as I would rather not be seen as an accomplice, I suppose I'll just remain in the dark."

"Good idea." She grumbled as the familiar buzz and then the pricking against her skin. Silence then reigned for a large amount of time. Moria was trying to think of something to say, but nothing seemed to come to mind.

"So…I was wondering if you would want to meet Harry and Max soon. Summer is going to be happening, and I bet they're curious." She finally suggested after two hours. Silence answered her and she looked over to see his expression had cooled. "Mason?"

"I doubt it's a good idea."

"How come?" She asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Because."

"Now, as a teacher, I must explain that because isn't an answer." She teased, but earned no laugh. "So…why?"

"Because I'm only half an uncle. And I doubt they want to know about the bastard uncle."

"Here we go…" She grumbled and his eyes narrowed. They were silent again and he finished the coloring for that day.

"One more session and it should be…"

"What is it going to take for you to even sort of like me?" She interrupted as she bandaged her arm. He looked at her. "Do you hate me because I look like dad so much, or is there something else that you seem to think I shouldn't know?"

"Moria-"

"Look I'm used to holding back shit all the time. It drove my husband and friends insane when they had to try and guess what was going through my head, but I got better at it. Why is it you seem to be under the impression that I'll let you do the same-"

"You don't get it do you?!" He suddenly snapped and she paused. "You don't get how I feel that after nearly my entire life, I find out my dad didn't abandon me, instead died. You think I'd be happy about it, but I still fucking resent it. I resent not knowing him, but you seem to not really understand-"

"You don't think I don't resent them?" She barked angrily, turning fully. He went silent. "I remember my mother screaming, Dad screaming and then nothing. When I woke up I was surrounded by car parts and fire and then I found Dad already dead. I held my mother's hand as she died, and you don't think I _resent_ that?" She hissed out angrily.

"You had them for five years, I never had my dad and my mother was a fucking drunk who didn't want me in the first place!"

"You think I don't understAND?!" Her voice rising. "JESUS CHRIST, MASON! I RESENT THEM SO MUCH!" She finally screamed, her voice cracking and Mason stilled. "My parents DIED when I was five, and I had to face the reality that no matter how many times I wished on a star or blew candles out on a cake, they wouldn't come back! I resent them for dying! I resent them for leaving me! I resent the rest of my family for dropping me off with an uncle who abused me and made into someone who HATES emotions! I resent gaining friends only to lose them! I have so much resent because of a SINGLE CHOICE that my parents made that it changed my life!"

"Then why do you DEFEND THEM!?"

"BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE MY FAMILY!" She screamed, and roaring silence filled the air. Her hands were fists now, and she was shaking horribly, fighting back tears. "Because every night when I feel like I should hate them, I remember that Dad died because he jumped to save me. That Mama tried to comfort me instead of saving her strength. That they loved me no matter what. And I HATE myself for that. Because at the end of the day, each and every day I wonder why I was left alive while they _weren't_. So don't you dare-"

Another interruption suddenly entered, but this one made Moria's heart stop as an owl flew in, looking at her, a note clutched in his talon.

"What the hell…" Mason muttered as Moria snatched the letter and read its contents. Her face became a sickly pale color and she stood up abruptly and went for her pocket. "Moria?" He asked as she pulled out a stick.

"I'll be back soon!" She said hurriedly and he barely uttered a syllable before with a pop she was gone. He looked at the empty spot before looking at his drink, wondering if he was just hallucinating.

* * *

"Where is he?!" Moria exclaimed as she opened the door to the Hospital Wing. "Where's Harry?!"

"Now Moria, relax, he's alright."

"Then where is he?!"She exclaimed and Pomfrey moved allowing her to see her unconscious godson. She hurried over to his side, her hands shaking horribly as she pushed his messy hair back.

"Poppy, may I speak to Moria alone momentarily. I shall not impeded too long on your duties."

"Oh…of course Albus." Poppy said, still shocked that the girl who had barely shed a tear when she had been in school looked on the brink of breaking down at this very moment. Silence reigned and Moria finally looked up.

"…you said nothing would happen."

"It seemed that Voldemort wished to gain the Philosopher's Stone, and used Quirrel to do so."

"You are telling me that Harry faced Voldemort again? Please tell me you're joking!" she asked, her voice rising just above a whisper. "You said-!"

"You know that I never believed he had ever been gone for good, Moria," Dumbledore told her. "But he didn't have a corporeal form this time." he added. Moria cursed under her breath, sliding her hand across her face, before looking at him.

"Harry really is okay right?" Moria inquired. "How hurt is he?"

"Poppy believes Harry is just in need of a long rest." Dumbledore stated and Moria exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself.

"How is he still alive? Voldemort wouldn't have stopped with knocking Harry unconscious, and as happy as I am that Harry isn't dead, how is he still alive?"

"I believe Lily's love protected him. It's the most powerful charm known to magic. Which brings up an interesting issue."

"And that is?"

"I believe that him being around blood relatives of Lily's will-"

"No. Absolutely not." Moria interrupted. "I'm not going to subject my son to those creeps."

"Even if his life relies on it?"

"I-" She began but hesitated.

"I will ensure that Harry will be taken care of by the Dursley's. You have my word. And it will only be for a week or two each summer."

"But-"

"I'll go too."

Moria looked up and there was Max, her normally neat, wavy hair, unkempt and wild.

"Max-"

"If Harry needs to be there for a little bit to be protected, then he should go. BUT, I'm going with him. They can't beat two of us up without getting into trouble." Max said huffing.

"Sweetie, I don't even know if I'm going to let Harry go to the Dursley's." Moria remarked.

"If it's to protect him, I'll go with." Max stated with a proud huff and pride filtered into Moria, though it did little to make her feel better at the prospect of Harry being with the bastards who would have kept him in a crawlspace. But just by looking at Dumbledore, she could see gears turning and her chances of winning dwindling. She sighed and kissed Harry's forehead, relieved that here he was safe and sound.

And then slowly, her memory of what had happened minutes earlier surfaced and she nearly groaned at the memory of Mason.

She was screwed.

* * *

It taken her a few days and was only when Harry had woken up and had assured her he was fine, did Moria return to Mason's tattoo shop. She stood there awkwardly, wanting nothing more than to run in the opposite direction. The door opened and Mason stood there.

"Um hi….look…we…"

"Just get inside you idiot. You need to tell me what the heck happened." He stated and dragged her inside and into the backroom. Moria stood there awkwardly.

"So…did you figure out how to teleport or something?" He finally asked and she let out a scornful laugh.

"No…that'd make more sense then what I'm about to tell you." She muttered, pushing her hair back.

"So…"

"I'm a…witch."

"…very funny, what are you really?"

"I'm being serious, I'm a witch." Moria responded with a huff, crossing her arms angrily.

"Okay, look…I may have been a kid who tried to fly off of rooms on a broom once and awhile, but I grew out of it and-"

"Accio broom." Moria commanded, and the sweeper broom that had been in the corner seemed to propel itself to her, her catching it easily in her hand. She looked at him as he gaped at her. "Don't freak out."

"You…broom…it…HOW?!"

"I told you…I'm a witch." Moria responded simply, sitting down. "There's a whole other world that people like you don't get to see unless you have someone like me in the family."

"Wait, was Dad one them?"

"No, I get it from my mother." Moria responded, looking at him in confusion. "You aren't scared?"

"More confused than anything…but, scared? No. I'm not. You're…my sister." He finally said and she looked at him. "And I think it's about time I start acting like a brother instead of an angry nearly 40 year old."

"You are allowed to be angry."

"Not at you. And…not at Dad. It's going to be tough, I'm not going to lie, however I think I need to start learning about the family I have now, and not get stuck on the family that I didn't." He remarked setting a coffee mug down in front of her. She offered a tiny, hopeful smile and he returned it.

"So…when do you want to meet Harry and Max?"

"Let's talk about it while I'm finishing up that tattoo." He remarked and she smiled.

"Alright."

**PHEW! 2****ND**** CHAPTER FINISHED! I AM WORKING ON MY OTHER FICTIONS AS WELL, BUT THIS ONE WANTED TO GET DONE! INTRO TO A NEW CHARACTER AND ON TO THE SECOND YEAR!**


	3. AN EVENTFUL SUMMER TO SAY THE LEAST

"This bites."

"It could be worse."

"How could it be worse?" Harry asked as he turned to look at Max who was drawing as they both sat under the tree in the neighborhood of Little Whinging.

"We could actually be in their house instead of just going to have to visit every day." Max remarked flicking her hand behind her to point. "Instead of staying here with Ms. Figg at night."

"…true." Harry grumbled.

"And you know Mum is totally against this."

"I know."

"I don't really understand why Professor Dumbledore insisted on you being here." Max commented and Harry shrugged. Whatever it had been about, Moria had been steadfast against it. It was one of the first times they had ever seen her violently reject whatever he had suggested to her. He had been calm as ever, but that didn't mean he hadn't made his point clear.

Lily and James Potter's sacrifice wouldn't go in vain.

But that hadn't mean Moria had been the only obstacle.

Vernon and Petunia Dursley didn't seem too much care for the sacrifice that Lily had given to her only son, and as such weren't even willing to consider letting Max and Harry stay with them. So…Dumbledore had come up with another plan.

Arabella Figg who lived just across the street would take care of them, and Harry would visit them during the day. Ms. Figg was nice enough, though her house smelled like cat and anything she gave them to eat tasted like it had been sitting there for years. But it wasn't all that horrible. They weren't in the Dursley home.

"The cats keep trying to destroy my shirt."

"You shouldn't leave it on the floor in the room then." Max stated. "The cat's like me a lot."

"Would you want a cat when you go to Hogwarts?" He asked teasingly but to his surprise, she shrugged.

"I wouldn't mind it, I guess. I mean I'd love any pet if I got one. Granted I doubt Hedwig or Maes would be happy with the addition of a third owl, so my choices are limited." She replied, thinking about Harry and Moria's owl, and he frowned almost in concentration.

"My ball!"

The two older kids looked up and saw a light blue ball bounce across the road. And following it was a small boy, toddling unsteadily towards the street where the ball had rolled into it. Harry barely managed to form a thought before the drawing pad went flying into his face and he saw Max hurrying to the road as well, waving her hands.

"No! Stop! Stop!"

The little boy did so, looking at her curiously as she picked up the ball, before looking both ways and returning the ball to him. He was young, probably only two at least. His hair was wavy blond with inquisitive green eyes a murkier shade than Harry's, she noticed with a twinge of brown embedded in them hidden under the bangs. She tsked him softly, handing the ball to him.

"You shouldn't go running into the street like that." Max gently scolded, earning a red face from the boy.

"Sowwy."

"How old are you anyways? Considering how little you are, your mum and dad shouldn't let you be wandering around by yourself." Harry asked and the little boy's face grew angry. Max barely held back a laugh. Apparently the boy thought otherwise.

"I not little!" The little boy adamantly denied. Max looked at Harry who glared at her.

"Then how old are you?"

"I'm…" The little boy trailed off, looking at his hands and, with his brow furrowing as he worked it out with his fingers. Then he lifted his hands up triumphantly, showcasing two fingers. "Two!"

"Oohhh…he's right Harry, he is a big boy. Cute too." Max stated and the little boy's face turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Still doesn't answer the question on why your Mum-"

"Ryan-poo!"

Both Harry, Max, and apparently Ryan looked up and the older two's jaws nearly snapped off their face when they spotted none other than Petunia Dursley at the door staring at them with horror. Her lips then stretched and thinned as she beckoned to the little boy.

"Ryan Lilium Dursley, come here this moment darling!" She exclaimed and the boy looked at the pair waving while smile brightly.

"Buh-bye!" He chirped before toddling up to the door. They could distinctly see Petunia begin to scold him about hanging out with freaks, to which the little boy seemed confused and they only managed to see that he mouthed _'but they were nice'_ before the door shut loudly behind him.

"…blood hell."

"No kidding." Max remarked not even chastising him about the language. "If that's his mother…then he's your…cousin."

"I don't remember seeing him at the zoo last time though."

"Maybe they didn't bring him along." Max mumbled. "Being too little and all, and it was Dudley's birthday. The walking blimp probably fake cried him into staying home with a babysitter." Max commented.

"The kid is almost…I don't know…"

"Normal? A nice boy?" Max offered and he nodded. She shrugged. "I guess someone on that side of the family has to have recessive genes." Max commented. "Whatever the case, compared to Dudley, Ryan's an angel."

"Yeah." Harry agreed and then sighed as he spotted his aunt glaring at them from the window, but he didn't mistake the pair of larger, innocent eyes staring just above the window still, staring at the pair curiously and a burning need to know them.

* * *

The week progressed as slow as paint drying to Max and Harry. The Dursley's, as expected only kept the two in the house long enough each day before kicking the two out to go back to Mrs. Figg's house. Moria called but apparently Dumbledore had been sending her all over the place looking for something. She didn't explain, though it was clear that she was growing annoyed with it. Whatever the case Harry's birthday was spent with Mrs. Figg and the Dursley's preparing for some meeting with some rich builder and his wife that Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from.

Max glanced at the Dursley's as they listened to the instructions for the thirteenth time that day and glanced at Ryan who seemed more than happy just observing out the window and not caring what his father had to say. Good for him.

"I think we should run through the schedule one more time," Vernon stated and Max held back a groan. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be -?"

"In the lounge," said Aunt Petunia promptly, "waiting to welcome them graciously to our home."

"Good, good. And Dudley?"

"I'll be waiting to open the door." Dudley put on a foul, simpering smile. "May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

"They'll love him!" cried Aunt Petunia rapturously.

"Ryan?"

"Um…sitting on the couch?" Ryan asked and Max smirked looking at Harry. He however didn't really seem all too happy. Which made sense. Having your birthday in this hellhole was one thing. Not receiving any cards or presents was quite another.

It was strange, Max noted. She didn't understand why her mother hadn't sent anything, even if she was planning on going tomorrow to pick them up and take Harry for a really nice dinner and lunch, and likely to get a really nice present, having had to promise Dumbledore that she would leave the Dursley's alone. Likewise, she didn't understand why Ron and Hermione hadn't sent him _anything_ that entire summer. It was all too strange.

"Excellent, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon. Then he rounded on Harry and Max.

"And you two?"

"We'll be in Ryan's bedroom, making no noise and pretending we're not there." Both Max and Harry stated tonelessly. Though why they couldn't go back to the Figg's residence was beyond them.

"Exactly," said Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them -drinks. At eight-fifteen -"

"I'll announce dinner," said Petunia.

"And, Dudley, you'll say -"

"May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an invisible woman.

"My perfect little gentleman!" sniffed Petunia. Max glanced at Ryan to see him look down dejectedly and frowned almost angrily at his parents.

"And you two?" said Vernon viciously to Harry.

"We'll be in Ryan's bedroom, making no noise and pretending we're not there."

"Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in a few good compliments at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?"

"Vernon tells me you're a wonderful golfer, Mr. Mason... Do tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs. Mason…"

"And Ryan?"

"Um…you have pweedy hair Missus Mason?" Ryan suggested and Vernon gave a snort.

"Good enough…Dudley?"

"How about -'we had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you."'

This was too much for Petunia, Harry, and Max. Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son, while Harry ducked under the table so they wouldn't see him laughing. Max had covered her mouth, barely holding back her laughter.

"And you two?"

"We'll be in Ryan's bedroom, making no noise and pretending we're not there." They both finally managed.

"Too right, you will." Vernon stated angrily. "The Masons don't know anything about you or your little…godsister. And it's going to stay that way. When dinner's over, you take Mrs. Mason back to the lounge for coffee, Petunia, and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the news at ten."

"And we'll be gone by the next day." Max murmured and Harry nodded.

"Thank Merlin."

A little while passed with Max and Harry watching Ryan, who seemed melancholy.

"I feel bad for him." Max remarked softly as the young boy helped Petunia dry the dishes. "He doesn't get nearly as much attention as his older brother does."

"I know. I mean Mum wasn't always there because of her job, but damn she cared for both of us equally." Harry replied softly and Max nodded

"Yeah."

The pair jumped as two plates slid in front of them.

"Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!" Petunia snapped, pointing to the two slices of bread and a lump of cheese on two plates on the kitchen table. She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail dress which, with her complexion, made her look like she was a walking pink blob with a blond wig on. The pair ate their food quickly, before being pushed out of the kitchen.

"Upstairs! Hurry!"

They had only just reached the upstairs landing when the doorbell rang and Vernon's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"Remember. One sound."

The pair tiptoed into the younger boy's room, covered and decorated in stars and planets. Harry sighed and went to go lie on the bed.

The trouble was, there was already someone sitting on it.

Both tweens nearly screamed in surprise at the house-elf, but could only manage a lowered squeak as the house-elf looked at them.

As they stared at each other, Harry heard Dudley's voice from the hall.

"May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Harry noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm and leg holes.

"Er - hello," Harry stated nervously as Max closed the door as quietly as she could.

"Harry Potter!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice Harry was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir ... Such an honor it is . . . ."

"Th-thank you," said Harry, edging along the wall and sinking into the desk chair. "Um…not to be rude or anything but…Who are you?"

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature.

"Oh - really?" said Harry. "Er - I don't want to be rude or anything, but - this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf here."

Aunt Petunias high, false laugh sounded from the living room. The elf hung his head.

"Not that he's not pleased to meet you!" Max added quickly, eyeing him darkly and Harry nodded rapidly at her glare.

"Is there…er…any particular reason you're here?"

"Oh, yes, sir," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir...it is difficult, sir...Dobby wonders where to begin . . . ."

"Why don't you sit down?" Max suggested. To their horror, the house-elf burst into tears, incredibly loud tears.

"S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never ... never ever. . . "

Harry thought he heard the voices downstairs falter.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or anything-"

"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard - like an equal-"

Max ushered him to the bed, trying to keep him quiet as Harry peeked frantically out to the hall. Thankfully no one seemed to hear them. At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on Harry in an expression of watery adoration.

"You can't have met many decent wizards, or witches." Harry stated, trying to cheer him up. Dobby shook his head.

Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting,

"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Dobby stop!" Max hissed out.

"What are you doing?" Harry hissed as well, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed –

"Dobby had to punish himself, sir," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir . . . ."

"Your family?"

"The wizard family Dobby serves, sir... Dobby is a house-elf; bound to serve one house and one family forever…"

"Do they know you're here?" asked Harry curiously. Dobby shuddered.

"Oh, no, sir, no ... Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir-"

"…that's just wrong. We would never let Kreacher do that." Harry heard Max murmur and was just as bit as disturbed as she was at Dobby's proclamation.

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?"

"Dobby doubts it, sir. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, sir. They lets Dobby get on with it, sir. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments…

"But why don't you leave? Escape?"

"He can't Harry…remember what Kreacher told us when we asked why he didn't leave Grimmauld?"

"…right." Harry stated, pressing his knuckle to his mouth, thinking. "Can't anyone help you? Can't I?" He asked and almost at once, Harry wished he hadn't spoken.

Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude.

"Please," Harry whispered frantically, "please be quiet. If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here-"

"Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby ... Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew…" He stated and Max smiled softly. Harry, felt distinctly hot in the face.

"Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts; that's Hermione, she-"

But he stopped quickly and Max glanced at him.

"H-Harry Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Harry Potter speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named -"

"Voldemort?" said Harry.

Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, sir! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry" said Harry quickly. "I know lots of people don't like it. My friend Ron -" He stopped again and Max sighed.

Dobby leaned toward Harry, his eyes wide as headlights. 'Dobby heard tell," He said hoarsely, "that Harry Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time just weeks ago ... that Harry Potter escaped yet again."

"Yeah he did. And got two weeks of chores because of it." Max reminded him with a smirk, earning a glare.

"Ah, sir," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Harry Potter is valiant and bold! He has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter, to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later... Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."

There was a silence broken only by the chink of knives and forks from downstairs and the distant rumble of Uncle Vernon's voice.

"Look, Dobby. That's not going to happen. Harry…Harry is going Hogwarts. He belongs there."

"No, no, no," Dobby squeaked, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped as he looked at Max. "Harry Potter must stay where he is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be in mortal danger."

"Why?" said Harry in surprise.

"There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in peril. He is too important, sir!"

"What terrible things?" said Harry at once. "Who's plotting them?"

Dobby made a funny choking noise and then and before Harry could stop him, Dobby bounded off the bed, seized Harry's desk lamp, and started beating himself around the head with earsplitting yelps.

A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later Harry, heart thudding madly, heard Vernon coming into the hall, calling,

"Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!"

"Quick! In the closet!" hissed Harry, stuffing Dobby in, shutting the door, and flinging himself into the desk chair as Max hurled herself onto the bed, and grabbed a magazine just as the door handle turned.

"What-the-devil-are-you-doing?" Vernon growled through gritted teeth, his face horribly close to Harry's. "You've just ruined the punch line of my Japanese golfer joke…One more sound and you'll wish you'd never been born, boy!"

"You do that, and my Mum will make sure you can't walk." Max warned and Vernon glared at her, a large beefy hand curling into a fist. But it seemed he was more nervous about those downstairs. He stomped flat-footed from the room. Shaking, Harry let Dobby out of the closet.

"I'm going back to Hogwarts. I've got friends there!"

"Friends who don't even write to Harry Potter?" said Dobby slyly.

"I expect they've just been - wait a minute," said Harry, frowning. "How do you know my friends haven't been writing to me?"

Dobby shuffled his feet.

"Harry Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best -"

"Have you been stopping my letters?"

"Dobby has them here, sir," said the elf. Stepping nimbly out of Harry's reach, he pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. Harry could make out Hermione's neat writing, Ron's untidy scrawl, Moria's slightly slanted handwriting, and even a scribble that looked as though it was from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid. Dobby blinked anxiously up at Harry.

"Harry Potter mustn't be angry... Dobby hoped ... if Harry Potter thought his friends had forgotten him ... Harry Potter might not want to go back to school, sir…Harry wasn't listening. He made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach.

"Give me my letters!"

"No!"

Before Harry or Max could move, Dobby had darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinted down the stairs. They sprang after him, trying not to make a sound. As they went down the stairs, from the dining room he heard Uncle Vernon saying,

"…tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr. Mason. She's been dying to hear…"

Harry ran up the hall into the kitchen and felt his stomach disappear. Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding, the mountain of cream and sugared violets, was floating up near the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the corner crouched Dobby.

"Oh sh…"

"Please…they'll kill me…"

"Harry Potter must say he's not going back to school -"

"Dobby…please…"

"Say it, sir -"

"I can't -"

Dobby gave him a tragic look.

"Then Dobby must do it, sir, for Harry Potter's own good."

The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished. There were screams from the dining room and Uncle Vernon burst into the kitchen to find Harry and Max, rigid with shock, covered from head to foot in Aunt Petunia's pudding. At first, it looked as though Uncle Vernon would manage to gloss the whole thing over.

"Just our nephew-very disturbed meeting strangers upsets him, so we kept him upstairs. That little girl is a friend of his. Must have crawled through the window. We'll have her taken to her mother as soon as possible" He shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room as Petunia dug some ice cream out of the freezer and Harry, still shaking, started scrubbing the kitchen clean, Max beginning to help him. Uncle Vernon might still have been able to make his deal - if it hadn't been for the owl.

Aunt Petunia was just passing around a box of after-dinner mints when a huge barn owl swooped through the dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs. Mason's head, and swooped out again. Mrs. Mason screamed like a banshee and ran from the house shouting about lunatics. Mr. Mason stayed just long enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes, and to ask whether this was their idea of a joke. Harry stood in the kitchen, clutching the mop for support, as Uncle Vernon advanced on him, a demonic glint in his tiny eyes.

"Read it!" he hissed evilly, brandishing the letter the owl had delivered. "Go on - read it!"

Harry took it. It did not contain birthday greetings.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your_ _place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine._

_As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells_ _outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to_ _expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of_ _Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C)._

_We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that_ _risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is_ _a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation_ _of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy._

_Enjoy your holidays! Yours sincerely,_

_Mafalda Hopkirk_

_IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE_

_Ministry of Magic_

Harry looked up from the letter and gulped.

"You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside school,"said Uncle Vernon, a mad gleam dancing in his eyes. "Forgot tomention it…Slipped your mind, I daresay…"

He was bearing down on Harry like a great bulldog, all his teethbared. "Well, I've got news for you, boy...I'm locking you up and-"

There was knocking on the door and Vernon turned storming forward, Petunia following him. The pair then heard a familiar voice.

"Good eVENing Good Sir! Wonderful night if I do say so myself!"

"…Geoffrey?" Max whispered and the two poked their heads from the archway. And there stood a strange sight. There was Geoffrey, wearing a fake mustache, top hat, and hastily made up business-suit.

"What do you want!?"

"Why good Sir can't you see I'm a traveling sales man!" Geoffrey stated with a fake bravado that Vernon didn't quite catch on to. "Why I sell these 'lovely' garden gnomes!" He stated, holding up a gnome that Max and Harry were quite sure had been in the neighbor next door's yard. "Imagine how wonderful it would look if he were to _**GO **_into the_** BACKYARD**_.

In an instant, before Harry could comprehend the hint, Max had grabbed his hand.

"Do you have your wand?" She hissed out and he nodded, gesturing to his back pocket.

"Good."

"Wha-"

She yanked him as quietly as she could to the back door and opened it as Vernon began to angrily argue at Geoffrey, who seemed to be taking the act rather well. She and Harry slid out and they looked up in shock. There, was a floating blue Ford Anglia and in the seats were three familiar red heads.

"George? Fred? Ron?"

"There you two are! We were getting worried when you didn't return any of my letters!" Ron whispered. "Come on!"

"We don't know how much longer Geoffrey can distract them. He's the one who told us where you were staying and that he was getting worried about you guys, since Max promised to send little notes to him." George stated.

"Glad we did too. When we saw that couple run out like that, we knew something was going on."

"We're glad you did too. Max you up first!"

A smack nearly made him yelp.

"What was that for!?"

"I'm in a skirt!" She snapped.

"I'm your brother! The amount of times your underwear has gotten in my laundry is plenty. Come on!" He snapped back lifting her by the waist. She squeaked and though she lifted her hands allowing George and Ron to lift her glared at Harry as she climbed into the backseat.

The two red heads then grabbed his hands and began to hoist him up when they heard a loud yell.

"THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!"

"Up! Up! Fred, go up!" George hissed out and Harry felt the ground disappear from his feet as the engine of the car whined and the back door flung open. Fred hit the gas as Vernon bellowed out, trying to reach the boy dangling outside the door. Thankfully, due to his girth, he couldn't jump that high and Max could see the other Dursley's staring up at them in shock, Ryan mostly in awe.

They took off several blocks and then settled on the road, and nearly a minute after a car drove by.

"That was close."

"Yeah."

"What are you doing here?"

"Like we said, Geoffrey was getting worried that he hadn't heard from you, and Ron hadn't heard anything from Harry all summer. We thought that something might have happened or the Dursley's did something. So we went to check it out." George started.

"Yeah, and it seemed fine, until that couple ran out and we saw Vernon storming towards you two."

"So we used Dad's suit he left in here and a broom to make Geoffrey look older." Ron added to George and Fred's statement. "And then he took off."

"This car…won't you get in trouble because it's using magic?" Max asked worriedly.

"Nah, this is Dad's. We're just borrowing it. George stated as a figure raced to them, panting. Geoffrey stood there, the mustache dangling on one side of their face.

"One; for a kid shaped like a whale, that cousin of yours can bloody run. Two; I said meet me in _one block_ not four!"

"We had to work on not being spotted, genius." George stated, pushing the door open and Geoffrey climbed in, squishing up with Harry and Ron, Max taking his lap.

"Just drop me off at home. I don't want Dad knowing I was gone."

"And he wouldn't now?"

"Yesterday was the full moon, Dad's been out like a light today."

"We'll bring you to the Burrow after that. We'll just say look who turned up on the doorstep!" Ron remarked. Max sincerely doubted that this would work, but didn't say anything, just staring out the window.

"I hope Mum isn't too angry at Mrs. Figg."

"I doubt she'll be angry at her. Uncle Vernon…probably." Harry remarked as he smiled looking out the window. Max offered a smile as well. They were home free.

* * *

"What do you mean they aren't here?" Moria asked dryly the next morning as she looked at the woman, who seemed guilty.

"Like I said, they never made it here last night. I thought they had stayed with the Dursley's but Vernon has been ranting and raving like crazy. So it's safe to assume that-"

"They flew away!" A tiny voice exclaimed. Moria turned and looked down at a little boy who was looking at her with gleeful excitement.

"Flew?"

"Uh-huh! There was this caw, and it was floating and Hawwy and Max flew away in it!" He exclaimed. "Mummy, Dudley, and Daddy were so suwpwised and the salesperson wan away!"

"….can you tell me what that salesman looked like?" Moria asked calmly, beginning to come up with a theory.

"He was tall, but not taller than Daddy. He had blond hair, a weally weird suit, and a mustache!" The little boy exclaimed. Moria contemplated and then sighed, with a chuckle in under it.

"Of all the things…" She murmured. "Thank you, Mr…." She began and the boy beamed.

"Ryan! My name's Ryan!" He exclaimed with a cheery blush, before looking back towards the playground as other children called him away. "Buh-bye lady!"

Moria laughed and then glanced at Mrs. Figg.

"Who was he?"

"Ryan Dursley."

"…huh? Since when did Petunia have another kid?" Moria asked, stunned. Arabella shrugged.

"About two years ago. The poor boy is rather ignored by his family though. I think it has to do with the rumors."

"Oh?"

"They say he was the result of an…affair, if you get my understanding."

Moria nearly laughed, legit laughed. The idea of Petunia, of all people having an affair was almost laughable, as she hated rumors.

"What made you think that?"

"I saw a car in the parking spot that Vernon is normally in, when he wasn't there and on a trip. Plus it was a rather horrible car, nothing that those two would normally have." Arabella huffed and Moria's eyebrows rose, glancing at the Dursley house before sighing.

"Can I borrow your phone?"

A few minutes later Moria was standing by the phone listening to the ring. Then it picked up.

"_Lupin residence, the younger, more attractive Lupin speaking."_

"Hello Geoffrey." Moria remarked, her lips twitching into a smirk.

"_Dad's still out of it…so if you want to talk to him…"_

"Actually, I had to ask you a hypothetical question." She stated and silence answered her. "Now hypothetically, let's say one of your friends had a car that could fly…"

She could hear shifting and could almost feel nervousness begin to set in. She smiled.

"You wouldn't happen to know if that is possible…would you?"

"_Er…"_

She heard a voice in the background, and recognized it as Molly and under Geoffrey's breath heard him mutter an expletive. She sighed apologetically.

"I'll guess that's a yes then?"

"…_She's getting my dad. How grounded do you think I'm going to be."_

"That's…debatable. Are Harry and Max alright?"

"_Yeah, they're fine. They're at the Burrow as far as I know."_ Geoffrey remarked and then Moria could hear Remus yell for Geoffrey. _"I have to go…if you don't see me, Dad's gone and murdered me."_

"I will weep tears at your funeral." She teased and the teen groaned before hanging up. She smiled slightly and then turned to the older woman.

"Well, I've got a good start on where they are. Thank you so much for watching over them this last week, I owe you."

"It's never a problem. Those two are rather polite young children. Maxine enjoyed my cats immensely." She stated, scratching under the chin of one of them affectionately, who began to purr.

"I bet."

* * *

"So…all things considered, her punishment wasn't…horrible." Max commented as she and Harry walked through Diagon Alley. In truth, they had already gotten a lecture from Mrs. Weasley, and only a few hours after did Moria show up. Likewise she lectured them, but after they explained what Dobby had done, she had lightened up on them. "I mean, doing the chores with Kreacher isn't that-Hey! Harry wait up!"

Harry had grinned and took off into the crowd, listening to his sister cry out and try to follow him in the crowd. "Harry, wait up!" Max called out, panting as she tried to keep up with her brother. In all honesty this summer had been hellish. She just hoped her first year wouldn't be as adventurous as Harry's had been. Still she couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts. She had already gotten her uniform and thankfully there had been no Malfoy sighting, and had gotten all the ingredients for potions. She had reread her mother's old potion school books as had Harry in an attempt to have one level over Snape this year, but somehow both children doubted, and all that was left now was Harry and her school books, as well as her wand. It was more crowded in Diagon Alley than normal, which she didn't particularly understand as they had come around the same time last year and even though it was crowded, it wasn't this crowded. They had seen the Weasley's heading there and while Moria paid for the uniforms they had gone ahead to catch up. Harry stopped, allowing her time to push herself through the crowd to him.

"What's the hurry?" She panted out. "I don't think the Weasley's are going to leave the bookstore just yet." She said. "I mean look at the line."

"I know I just want to actually get the books before the store closes. What's with the influx of people today?" Harry said as they continued to elbow and squeeze their way through. Max then spotted a sign and groaned.

"It's because Lockhart is here…see? It's a book signing." Max complained and Harry looked at her amused.

"Why is it that you and Aunt Moria seem to not like his stuff? The rest of the female population seems to fancy him."

"That's because Mummy and I are sensible enough to see he's an extremely self-absorbed git." Max complained as they managed to get into the bookstore, which surprisingly was less crowded than outside the store.

"Maxine, be reasonable. I've read his books and he seems to be quite an honorable man." A voice interjected and they spotted Hermione as they turned. Behind her were Ron and the rest of the Weasley's. Max waved at Ginny, who waved back only for her to face redden as she spotted Harry. As the pair reached the group, a sudden hush came over the crowd following a flash of a camera and a gaggle of girls, women becoming alert, including Hermione. They then spotted a foppish, blandly handsome wizard with wavy blonde hair and particularly straight and shiny teeth. Hermione sighed dreamily and Max looked at Harry as though to say _'if I ever do something along those lines…kill me'_ to which he shrugged. Lockhart continued to pose for the camera, not noticing Harry until a photographer stepped onto Ron's foot, causing his to yell out and gain the attention of the fame seeking wizard, who spotted Harry.

"Ladies and gentleman," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is!" he exclaimed and Max heard Harry groan as everyone's attention swiveled towards him. Before Max could react she was shoved away, Ron barely managing to catch her as a photographer grabbed and dragged Harry to where he was standing next to Lockhart. After listening to an egotistical speech about being the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and then Lockhart giving Harry his DADA books free of charge, he shooed the now embarrassed boy back towards the group.

"You okay?" he asked Max who nodded, pointing at Ron.

"He caught me." She said appreciatively. "How about you?"

"Annoyed." He grumbled. And they moved as a line formed for the books to be signed by Lockhart. Max sighed.

"Well, let's head out before we get run over again." She suggested and once Arthur and Molly had been given their children's books began to head out. That was until they were stopped by a certain blonde haired boy.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter. Famous Harry Potter can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page." Draco snarled, his lips curling in a smirk. Harry glared at him, but it was Ginny who spoke up.

"Leave him alone." She warned, glaring at him. Draco glanced down and her and then looked at Harry with malice.

"Oh, look, Potter, you got yourself a girlfriend." He teased, causing Ginny and even Harry to blush. However before Draco could add insult to injury, a handle of a can tapped on his shoulder pushing that side of his body towards it.

"Now, now Draco, where are your manners?" An older man said. Max observed him, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that this was Draco's father. They looked completely alike, right down to the pompous attitude.

"Yes Father." Draco replied, though he sounded annoyed that he couldn't bother the group anymore. His father looked at the group with bored eyes till he landed his sights on Harry. Max bristled as he moved his cane and shifted Harry's bangs with it.

"Mr. Potter! Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last. Forgive me, your scar is legend. As, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you." He said. Harry moved away from the cane and kept his glare straight at Lucius.

"Voldemort killed my parents. He was nothing more than a murderer." Harry responded and Lucius smirked.

"You must be very brave to mention his name. Or very foolish." He said. Hermione crossed her arms, glaring at him as well.

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself." She said and his attention turned to her.

And you must be Miss Granger. Yes, Draco's told me all about you. And your parents. Muggles, aren't they?" he asked and no one could mistake the threat involved in the sentence. He then looked at the rest of the group. "Let me see. Red hair... vacant expressions..." he said and picked up some of Ginny's books before tossing it back into Ginny's cauldron. "…tatty second hand books... you must be the Weasleys." He suggested. At that moment Arthur appeared. He noticed his coworker and his smile shifted into that of an annoyed one. He tried to ignore him and looked at the children.

"Children, it's mad in here. Let's go outside."

"Well, well, well. Weasley senior." Lucius drawled and Arthur stiffened, finally looking at him.

"Lucius."

"Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids? I do hope they're paying you overtime. Though judging by the state of this, I'd say not. What's the use in being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?" he said, a Malfoy smirked etched on his face. Arthur's face hardened.

"We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." He said harshly and Lucius scoffed, looking at the group of children disdainfully.

"Clearly. Associating with muggles. And I thought your family could sink no lower."

"And you would be the expert in that wouldn't you, Malfoy?" a voice behind Lucius asked. He turned and Max could see shock register on his face when he saw it was Moria standing behind him. Her eyes were cool, both Max and Harry could see anger etched in them. "Considering the types of slime you associate with." She added.

"Moria Black." Lucius responded. "What a surprise. And here I had merely assumed Draco was pulling my leg that a woman who was believed to have died was his teacher."

"Yes, you would have liked that wouldn't you?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm, before glancing at everyone else. "Sorry I was late; I was held back a bit."

"What for? Getting Potter another broom?" Draco mocked. Moria glanced at him and then smirked, looking back at Lucius.

"It seems your son has about the same amount of manners as you did back in the school days Lucius, but he seems to be rather slow on concealing that. You may wish to work on that. Riches can only get one so far without a good mask." She commented and Lucius's eyes narrowed.

"Uncle."

Moria glanced up and spotted another young woman, this one just as pale and blond as Malfoy and Draco walked up. Other than the same hair and eye color, she clearly didn't fit the duo as her hair was a spiky and choppy, her clothes untucked and with a wrinkled quality, earrings pierced on both sides. Her accent clearly seemed to be Russian and she was taller than her cousin Draco by several inches.

Both males glanced at her in the upmost disgust but she merely shrugged.

"Aunt Narcissa imformed me that she wishes for you to accompany her to lunch. You two are most tardy." She explained in a dry tone, clearly having a great knowledge of English.

"Come Draco. Your mother must be wondering why we are so tardy." Lucius stated and with one last glare at the entire group, walked out of the store, brushing against Moria. Moria glared at the back of the Malfoy's. Max and Ginny however were busy looking at the girl. She seemed to be about their age, and was what to both of them considered had a regal quality to her. She glanced at them then gave a slight bow to her head before going to follow her uncle and cousin out. Max finally looked back at her mother who sighed dramatically before looking back at the group with a smile on her face.

"Well, that was fun. Now then, who wants to get some ice cream? My treat." She asked. The Weasley's continued staring at her in shock, before both Fred and George broke out laughing, and Ron grinned triumphantly.

"Bloody hell, your Mum is wicked!" Ron said. Max blushed, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear a small smile on her face.

"Malfoy has been like that since we were kids at Hogwarts, I didn't back down then, I don't know why he expected me to back down now." Moria stated with a smile, glancing at Arthur with a large grin. "Well let's go then shall we? As Arthur did say, it is mad in here."

"Why hello, Miss. I do say you are quite lucky to have such a son whose fame precedes himself." A voice stated and nearly every child groaned, except for Hermione, as they looked over their shoulders and saw Gilderoy Lockhart strode towards them. Moria's eyebrow rose as she watched him.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Miss…"

"Black. Moria Black." She replied shortly as he extended his hand. "You must be the new Defense Professor."

"Why yes I happen to be. Can't be too difficult with my background, right?"

"…right…" Moria responded. "I'm professor of the History of Magic. We'll be colleagues."

She had extended her hand merely as a handshake, which he had returned and shook it to the point Moria was sure her arm was about to fly off, however as he slowed, he began to brush his thumb across her knuckle. Harry noticed and his eyes narrowed.

"I hope that we'll sometime be more than colleagues." He stated simply, giving her a dazzling smile. She returned the smile.

And then there was a rather loud crack that everyone in the group heard.

Lockhart's color in his face drained and was replaced with a sickly pale color as he tried to yank his hand out of the death grip Moria had placed on his hand, her face still with a smile, though it had become cold.

"I prefer just colleagues." She stated simply before letting go, nearly causing him to fly backwards. "Professor." She added then looked at her children and their friends. "Let's continue shopping, shall we."

Harry and Max nodded, trying hard not to laugh as they chanced a glance at Lockhart, who seemed stunned, and then followed their mother quickly.

* * *

"Where did he go?" She grumbled softly as Max looked around the crowded street. Harry had seemingly vanished into the crowd. Max had hoped to show him her wand, but seeing as he and Ron had walked away while she and Ginny were looking at the wands. She had assumed it was because Ginny was able to get a wand and Ron hadn't, but still…

Her thoughts were thrown off as she was suddenly yanked down the alleyway towards Knockturn Alley. Looking up, she spotted a familiar form.

"What the bloody hell are you doing Malfoy?!" She snapped at Draco wrenching out of his grip as he glared and rounded her.

"Well, well look at the high and mighty Maxine Black. Think you're tough stuff with who your brother is, don't you? I saw you looking at us like you were better."

"Wow, humility is lost on you and your family isn't it, Draco? I'm glad my father left your side of the family."

"Shut up, blood traitor." He snapped shoving her backwards. "Now come on."

"Yeah right, call me a blood traitor after you drag me off the main street, and sssuuurrreee…I'll go walking into KnockTurn Alley with you." She snapped in sarcasm. "Besides, Mum always told Harry and me that we aren't allowed to go in there."

"You're such a little baby. My father allows me in there all the time." He stated haughtily and then looked at her with a glare. "Then again, I don't think a itty bitty, goody two-shoes girl like you would be able to handle it. Want to fin-"

The threat however was cut off as Draco made a high pitched squawking sound and his grip on her forearms disappeared. Max heard a strange sound of fabric being stretched mixed in with Russian words. She then noticed the figure standing behind Draco. It was his cousin…and she had gained a tight grip on Draco's boxers apparently, stretching them up.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, you have no class or shame." The girl scolded darkly, pulling the boy up by his underwear. "If your mother saw you now, she would surely weep for your stupidity."

Draco let out a high-pitched squeak as she pulled higher and Max could have sworn she heard the seems pop and snap from the extreme angle they were being put through.

"Now when I let you go, you are to turn around and return to your parents side, am I clear?" She asked and Draco nodded. She released his undergarments and gave a swift spank to his rear, earning another yelp, and pointed to the street.

"Our father's will hear of this. Mark my words. You'll be on the next port key back to Russia."

"Your father will do no such thing unless he wants to meet the wrath of my father." She snapped back at him. "Remember your cowardly father fears mine. As should you." She warned and Draco paled before his cheeks became pink and he stormed away. The girl looked at Max and then turned to leave as well.

"Wait! What's your name?" Max asked suddenly and the girl paused looking back at her with silver eyes. She tsked.

"Nysa. My name is Nysa."

"Thank you…Nysa." Max stated timidly and the other looked at her then gave a slight bow with her head before disappearing into the crowd.

"-ax? Max!"

She turned around to the sound of her name and spotted Harry, who looked at her confused.

"What were you doing in Knockturn Alley?"

"Don't ask." Max grumbled, before looking at him and Ron. "What were you two doing? Where did you two go?"

"Busy."

"Busy with what? I mean, come on Harry it's really crowded, all they would need was someone snatching you and then what would hap-"

Her lecture was cut off as Harry held up a small white kitten, black spots raining down on his backside, and his tail virtually absent of any white, though there were several spots visible of it, almost in some ways reminding her of Hedwig's markings. The kitten stared at her with large turquoise eyes.

"It's a mixture between a thank you and a happy birthday." He stated. "Ron helped me out at Magical Menagerie. From what the salesman said, he and his siblings were Bengal kittens that he had got a few weeks ago. Really popular too, since he was the last one left. Now, remember he's a boy, so you can't have a girly name for him, and we have to get him used to Hedwig and Maes but I asked Mum and she said it would be al-"

He was cut off as both boys were drawn into a tight hug and both were kissed on the cheek. Ron's face turned a bright shade of red, but Max took no notice as she plucked the tiny kitten out of Harry's hand, who mewed loudly at her.

"Oh thank you so much! He's absolutely adorable!" She exclaimed happily scratching behind his ear and he purred softly, and she smiled brightly. She looked at her brother and beamed.

"Come on, our mum's are probably wondering where we are." Max said with a smile and the boys took lead as she followed, holding her tiny kitten happily. She chanced a glance behind her shoulder and saw Nysa standing near Twilfitt and Tatting's, her boredom apparent on her face. As though she sensed being looked at, she looked up and latched onto Max with her eyes. She held her captured there for a moment, before Max turned and followed Harry and Ron, but the strange girl who had stopped Draco stayed fresh in her mind as she returned to her mother's side, but as the weeks progressed towards the arrival of September the 1st, her mind drifted to Hogwarts and what adventures she would have there.

**PHEW THIS TOOK LONGER THAN I EXPECTED, SORRY ABOUT THAT, I HAD FINALS AND THEN COLLEGE GRADUATION TO THINK ABOUT XD HOPE YOU LIKE THIS!**


	4. YEAR 2 BEGINS

"So, what's he like?" Max asked as she and Harry followed Moria down the street.

"He's a bit…rough around the edges." Moria admitted as they continued. "But I assure you that he's nice enough." Moria continued until she spotted him and sighed. Max hadn't noticed yet.

"Well yeah, you already told us that. But is he smart, funny, like dad or the exact opposite…serious, stern, or-"

"Looking down a girl's shirt?" Moria grumbled just loud enough for her older brother to hear and he straightened up and turned in alarm, and was faced by his shorter, little sister who had her arms crossed and a blatant look of ire on her face.

"Seriously, Mason?" she grumbled, her hand rushing out and snagging his ear. The girl who he had been oogling at left without even realizing it, and Max and Harry watched in amusement as Moria began to scold her eldest brother on how to be proper around women.

"Honestly, you have a daughter. How would you like it if some bloke was doing that to her?" She asked, tugging on his ear and he whined.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry!" He snapped, pulling away and rubbing his throbbing ear. She muttered under her breath about showing how sorry he would be, before turning to Harry and Max.

"This is my older brother, Mason. Mason, this is Max and Harry."

"Ah. Pleased to meet you both." He stated with a grin.

"Hello."

He grinned. "So these are the two scamps you've been telling me about. I don't know Moria…they don't seem like they could be that much trouble."

"Give me a few hours, and I can tell you everything."

"Mmmuummm!" Both children exclaimed and Moria smiled impishly. Later on Mason watched the pair of children eat their lunch with his Melody at a local café, intrigued.

"She looks like your husband I suspect."

"Chip of the old block." Moria commented.

"So, is this her year?"

"Mhm. She'll be joining Harry in the ranks at the boarding school." Moria remarked, as the pair had decided for Hogwarts to be codenamed as such in public settings.

"You seemed thrilled."

"I'm thrilled that my daughter is finally going. I'm not thrilled at how much trouble the two of them will likely cause."

"How bad can it be?" Mason teased and Moria looked at him.

"Brother, I doubt you want to find out."

* * *

Time had passed by slowly, and it was finally the day to go to Hogwarts. And after a rather stress-filled morning of packing, re-packing, nearly forgetting several school books and a pet kitten and owl (which Hedwig was still angry at Harry about), they had arrived at the station with time to meet up with the Weasley's dropping Max and Harry with them, as Moria having to leave as she was to get to Hogwarts early, with just moments to spare. It was strange though; Max noted that after they had all gone through the portal, Ron and Harry had vanished. So that was what she and Ginny were doing as the train chugged down the tracks. Walking through the halls of the compartments, looking for their brothers.

"Ginny, what is with that diary of yours?" Max asked. "You've never really been that into writing before."

"Oh, it's fun. Sometimes it's almost as if it talks back."

"…uh…huh…" Max commented. "Look lets try to find a place to sit down. Ron and Harry will never find us and Merlin if we don't stop moving."

As if on cue there was a loud mew from Max's hood on her jacket and a tiny claw began to bat at flying strands of hair. Max smiled at her kitten and Ginny giggled.

"He is adorable. Why did you name him Merlin though?"

"Well Hedwig was a witch in the History book my Mum uses, so I thought why not. Besides, look at him. He's bound to be different from other classmates cat's so why not give him one that is significant?"

Ginny rolled her eyes then paused.

"This one only has one girl, that should work." She stated and they noticed the girl dressed in all black sitting there, staring at nothing. Her hair had been weaved into two neat braids and she looked like Wednesday Addams. She then proceeded to knock on the sliding door, before opening it slightly. "Can we sit here?"

"Is there no one else in here?" The girl asked. Ginny balked.

"I…If you don't want us to stay here, than that's fine, but-"

"No, you misunderstand." The girl stated, turning to look in their general direction. It was then both girls realized that the girl was blind. Her eyes were a cloudy dark brown, and she didn't lock into where they were standing. "I can't tell if people are just being quiet, or if there is no one here. You are free to sit if there is no one here."

"…oh…"

"Yes, it's free." Max stated and the two girls sat down.

"My name is Charlotte." The girl in black stated.

"Max."

"Ginny."

There was silence and Max had this burning need to ask a question.

"Um…did the bookstore have books for you?" Max asked and the girl chuckled, before pulling out a thick stack of papers, neatly bound almost like a real book.

"No…my mother bought my books, but as I can't read the inside, she stayed up for many nights using our braille typewriter and went through every page and finished it up. Mama said she would do that every year for me."

"Wow." Ginny responded going over and sitting next to her, looking at the strange letters.

"If you two wish, I could teach you it." Charlotte suggested, almost shyly. Both girls nodded rapidly and the black haired girl blushed. They spent the next little while until a shadow began to move slowly past and Max looked up.

To see Harry dangling out of the Weasley's flying car.

To say she was shocked was an understatement. She vaguely heard Ginny gasp in astonishment as she caught sight of the end of her car, but Max was already rushing out of the compartment running down the direction the car was driving by the windows. Thankfully Harry had managed to get back into the car, but that still didn't answer on _why_ they were there. She continued racing after the car until she couldn't any farther and bit her bottom lip as she watched it fly into the clouds, Well that would be one way to start the school year.

"Harry, you better make it to Hogwarts alive, or Mum is going to kill you."

* * *

"I swear, the amount of trouble you manage to get into before school even starts." Moria grumbled looking at the sheepish Harry. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you on your detention though." She added and Harry groaned.

"So I'm stuck with Lockhart?"

"You're stuck with him."

"But wwwhhhyyyy?"

"One. Because he was insistent on having you for detention. Two. I plan on avoiding him as much as possible." She grumbled and Harry smirked.

"So what Max said about him seeming to flirt with you during the sorting ceremony and dinner wasn't false?"

"Laugh it up smart-alec." Moria grumbled, crossing her arms. "You would think me threatening to rip his gonads out if he so much as even touched me would dissuade him."

"You did say he didn't seem like a smart man." Harry replied with a shrug and Moria chuckled.

"True. But one would think after telling him multiple times I'm married to a convict, he would leave me alone."

"I thought you didn't believe Sirius was guilty."

"Just because I don't think he's guilty, doesn't mean everyone else doesn't. And you know most people would get the hint when I keep mentioning a man accused of murdering a dozen people that would mean I'm not interested. But nnnoooo…Mr. Best Smile has to think of it as a challenge." Moria grumbled and Harry laughed. Moria smirked and ruffled his hair.

"Now, please Harry. Let's try and make this a year without any trouble." Moria asked. Harry grinned.

"I don't go looking for trouble, trouble-"

"-always finds you, yeah, yeah. Trust me, I'm aware." Moria grumbled, cuffing him lightly in the back of his head. He grinned and then the pair separated. Moria barely managed to get down the hall, before a voice made her inwardly groaned.

"Go away, Lockhart." She grumbled, picking up her speed, but the Defense Teacher hurried to keep up.

"Now, now Ms. Black."

"One, it is Mrs., meaning I am married, Lockhart. And not remotely interested." She grumbled. "Two, here you call me Professor Black." She remarked, hurrying her step. She spotted Snape, and for once was actually happy to see him as she walked quickly by and as she predicted Lockhart, with his small attention span locked on to the Potions professor. She clenched her teeth angrily at the audacity of his flirting; the rage only dispersing when she spotted her daughter walking with Ginny and a young Hufflepuff girl that Max had informed was Charlotte. Charlotte was in the middle, showing them some form of book while the other two girls were looking over her shoulder. Moria thought it was worth noting in the back of her mind, that Ginny seemed to be paler than normal. But maybe that was just the sun. She didn't think much about her concerns over Ginny until a few days later when Mrs. Norris had been petrified. Ginny looked even paler.

"Ginny, is everything alright?" Moria asked as she helped escort the students back to their dorms. The redhead nodded. "You sure?"

"Mhm. Just haven't been sleeping that well. I guess I'm getting used to the different rooms and everything." The girl replied. Moria blinked and though looked unconvinced didn't try to push.

"I see. Well if there is anything you need to talk about, my office is always open." Moria offered and Ginny nodded, clutching her books tightly to her chest, before hurrying up to Max. She sighed and glanced back at the hall that had the words, and wondered why there couldn't just be a normal school year.

* * *

Nysa Malfoy hated her surname. In Norway, while it had some credence, they left her family alone and sure, here it did have some added points, but they were not points she considered worthy. She supposed she should have been considered lucky, as she could have been in Durmstrang with her brothers and eventually her sister, but that good ol' fear won out and her father had managed to get her transferred to Hogwarts. Probably better, away from them. She had gotten into Slytherin, which Draco had said wasn't that surprising, since she was a Malfoy, even though she was as violent as she was (after he had added the last part, she had given him another wedgie). She hadn't much listened to the names other than hers being called for the sorting, more listening to the whispers of a magical car that students had seen on the train ride there, and though. thankfully people stayed away from her. They could flock to her bratty cousin (who would have had his ass handed to him in seconds in Durmstrang) for all she cared, as long as they left her alone. She flicked a look at some other first years and they went around her. She was already proving to others that this Malfoy wasn't sociable. Starting fights with seventh years, some of them she won but most she lost, had been the start, but now her reputation was as someone who would punch the daylights out of anyone who crossed her path.

She stumbled slightly when someone ran into her. Turning around she saw that a girl holding a stack of books piled higher than her head.

"Sorry 'bout that!" The girl grunted. "This is the last time I let the muggle girls all ask me to get me books for them from the library. The whole Mrs. Norris thing freaked them out you see." The girl said shifting, unfortunately causing the books to avalanche down. "…I hate my life." The girl grumbled and Nysa realized that this was the same girl at Diagon Alley. What was her name again? Judging by her uniform she was Gryffindor…but she couldn't quite remember her name. The girl began to try and pick up the books. Another student, not paying attention began to walk across some of the thinner ones.

"Um, could you please not do that? Madam Pince will…um please, sir, please could you not I-"

"Oi! You mudak! Get your head out of your ass and watch where you're going!" Nysa snapped startling the boy who took off running. The girl watched in surprise as Nysa bent down and began to stack the books again.

"Oh…um…thank you." She managed but Nysa only grunted.

"You shouldn't let everyone walk all over you…" She remarked angrily. "You…what's your name?"

"Oh! Um! Max…Max Black."

Nysa looked up.

"Black? As in Sirius Black?"

"Um…yes? I mean he's my father so…" Max trailed off as Nysa stared. Sirius Black was a convicted killer and from what she had heard while eavesdropping on her uncle, Black's wife was a troublemaker as well, one who used her fists to solve her problems.

This little girl looked like she could barely harm a fly.

Nysa's eyes narrowed and Max shifted uncomfortably.

"Um…is that a bad thing?"

"You don't seem much like a Black. That's all."

"Thank…you?" Max replied, unsure if that was a compliment or an insult. Nysa tsked and stood, handing her the books she had collected.

"Don't let those girls make you do shit that you can't do on your own." Nysa barked angrily.

"Um…okay." Max began as Nysa turned to leave. "Wait! Um…thank you Nysa!"

"…you remembered my name." Nysa muttered, glancing at her. Max blinked confused.

"Should I not have?"

"No it's just…nevermind." Nysa remarked coldly before storming away. Max blinked unsure as to why the girl's face had seemed to turn red.

* * *

**A SHORT CHAPTER BUT I LIKED WHERE IT ENDED HERE!**


	5. PETRIFIED

Max didn't know what was worse, watching her brother being chased by a rogue bludger and have it shatter his arm, Professor Lockhart (though she was beginning to sorely debate the Professor part) had removed the bones in Harry's arms in a bungled attempt to 'fix' it, or the fact the said professor was now in the ward, trying to smooth things over.

"Professor, with all do respect, you shouldn't really be here." She finally snapped dryly, standing in front of Harry.

"Now Maxine-"

"It's Miss Black, to you." She snapped dryly. "You should leave before my mother get's back."

"Now your mother can easily see that it was just an accident-"

"Doesn't mean your sorry arse won't be in any trouble." Moria's voice resounded behind him and everyone, even the Slytherin's and Malfoy who had been resting on the bed after knocking the wind out of himself, all went silent as Lockhart turned and there stood Moria Black, her expression probably the darkest either of her children had seen and Pomfrey made no attempt to protect the defense teacher.

"Now Moria-"

"Lockhart, I'm giving you the count of ten."

"Now Moria."

"Professor Black. 1…."

"Black…"

"5…9…"

The glow from the tip of her wand was warning enough and Lockhart scrambled away and out of the hospital. Pomfrey chuckled.

"You know I oppose violent in my hall."

"Yet you didn't stop it." Moria sighed, pushing her hair back. "And I wouldn't have done anything horrible."

"Oh I know."

"Why don't you just tell him who dad is?" Max muttered as she sat next to Harry.

"I have. _Several_ times. The whole world shies away from me uttering your father's name, but that moron can't take the hint, that if Sirius _did_ find out, he'd hunt down the moron down and rid us of his stupidity." Moria grumbled to which Harry chuckled.

"How are you?" She asked gently.

"Well I just drank the equivalent of dragon piss, so other than that, I'm good."

"I don't think it can be as bad as dragon piss." Moria said with a chuckle. "Whatever the case, I'll go talk to Dumbledore about Lockhart keeping his distance from both of you."

"Can you get me out of here?" Harry grumbled and Moria chuckled.

"No can do, kiddo. Healing bones, Pomfrey would have had you in and out in jiff. Re-growing bones…not as easy. You have to spend the night here."

Harry grumbled, slouching in his bed.

"Sorry bud. How about this, I'll go get some sweets for you." She asked and he perked up almost instantly, to the point where she nearly laughed.

The boy and that stomach he had.

As the other two were talking, Max noticed Ginny leave the hospital and hurried after her.

"Ginny! Ginny, wait up!" Max called out as she left the hospital and hurried after the red head, who didn't slow. "Ginny!" She exclaimed, finally reaching her, resting her hand on Ginny's shoulder, and causing the girl to jump. Max blinked. "Did you not hear me?"

"Sorry…lot on my mind."

"I suppose…Ginny, is everything alright?" Max asked.

"It's fine."

"Are you sure? I mean you've been really distant. I know your brother's haven't really noticed, but-"

"I'M FINE!" She snapped in reply, startling the other girl.

"Sorry…"

"Look I need to go…I…I just need to go." Ginny explained, rubbing her forehead.

"I just need to go." She repeated, hurrying away, leaving Max there stunned. What was that all about? She had been getting stranger and stranger every passing day since school started. Why-

"It seems she has nargles infested her mind."

"EAUGH!" Max exclaimed, jumping backwards at the sudden voice, and turned to see a blond haired girl standing next to her, wearing the strangest looking earrings, her wand tucked away behind her ear. She had a dreamy look on her face and was barefoot, and Max could see that she was housed in Ravenclaw. Strange. Most Ravenclaw's she had met were pretty prim and proper.

"Luna Lovegood."

"Oh…hello…" Max replied, pushing her hair back. "My name is-"

"Maxine Black." Luna said dreamily. "Though I believe you like to go as Max."

"Oh…er…yes…" Max stated awkwardly.

"Don't worry about how I know, I just know these things." Luna replied with a smile. "Now for your red head friend, I believe Nargles are just clouding her mind."

"Oh I…see…"

Luna smiled at her, which Max responded with one of her own.

"Can you tell me…what are Nargles?"

Max didn't leave the blonde's side for the rest of the afternoon. It was only when she began walking back to the Gryffindor Tower that she felt suddenly alone. Luna had gone back to the Ravenclaw tower, and Charlotte had been in Hufflepuff ever since the game, studying.

"Ow…"

A hiss stopped her walk and she turned to see a familiar blond sitting on some steps.

"Nysa?"

The called girl jumped and turned, causing the youngest Black to gasp. She had a bruise and a bloodied nose.

"What happened?"

"Ach, didn't dodge Goyle quickly enough. No big deal."

"Why didn't you tell Professor Snape?"

"I refuse to snitch to that greasy bastard." Nysa snapped grouchily. Max cocked her head.

"…Isn't he the Head of the Slytherin House?"

"Doesn't mean I need to like him."

"…oh."

"Look, why don't you keep heading back to Gryffindor?" Nysa muttered, but Max shook her head. "I'll make it alright."

"You're hurt."

"So?" The girl snorted.

"So, you shouldn't be left alone." Max replied looking at her. Nysa looked at her.

"You are a strange girl."

"Yeah, I'm told that often." Max muttered, looking at the Gryffindor tower. Nysa frowned.

"Look, is anyone bullying you?"

"Hm? No…no not at all. Just…having some friend issues." Max replied.

"Do they know?"

"No."

"They should. See, this is what I have noticed about you. You are much too of a doormat." Nysa remarked. "Nothing like what your parents are like, or so I have heard." Max cocked her head to the side.

"You've been watching me?"

"I watch anyone I please. You are strange enough to warrant watching. Besides, I ensure my cousin does not get any ideas."

"…alrighty." Max commented, not sure if she should be comforted or frightened. But Nysa remained quiet, only flinching when Max pressed her handkerchief to the staunch the blood under her nose.

"You and your friends. Come sit where I normally am. I do not sit with anyone…so you are more than welcome to."

"Is that a suggestion, or an order?"

"Take it what you like." Nysa remarked with a shrug, and Max chuckled.

"I am the strange one?" She asked and Nysa rolled her eyes. "I'll ask Charlotte, Luna, and…and Ginny."

"Wouldn't my uncle rip his hair out."

Max burst out laughing.

"I suppose he would."

"Yes. See you at breakfast then?" Nysa asked and the guarded look was replaced with a look a mischievous one, one she hadn't seen the blond have.

"I…yes, I suppose."

"Good. I shall see you then." Nysa remarked standing and brushing off dirt, before walking down the steps. Max sat there, staring, wondering what the hell had just happened.

And how she had managed to gain a Slytherin as a possible friend.

* * *

"What are you two idiots doing?" Geoffrey asked, causing Fred and George to jump. Geoffrey glanced into what was in their hands. "Are those amulets?"

"Um…no?"

"How is it you two lie so easily on any other occasion, but with me, you two are practically useless?"

"What can we say, you have the Mum eyes."

"The Mum eyes. Really?" Geoffrey stated his brow raising, and the twins could swear they were looking at Remus Lupin.

"Did we ever tell you how much you look like your Dad when you do that?"

"Every time I do that. Look, lay off on the amulets, alright? Others are already doing it, and it's causing the kids to panic a bit more. Last thing I want is to listen to the first year Ravenclaws debating on what amulet works better…again."

"That's got to be some _dull_ conversations."

"Well considering the last time turned into a full on brawl that made some of the students use Flitwick as a beach ball…they can become quite heated and interesting debates."

"Ohohohoho. That DOES sound interesting."

"Oh sod off." Geoffrey mocked with a grin, shoving his friend's shoulders lightly and the two boys laughed. As the three continued to walk down the hall, a cold breeze fluttered across the back of Geoffrey's neck, causing a chill to run down his spine.

"_You are just like your father."_

He turned, expecting Max, Harry, or Moria to be standing there. However, to his surprise there was no one. He scratched the back of his head, confused. He could have sworn that he knew that voice…

"Hey Geoff, you coming?" George called out and the blond turned and hurried after his friends, unaware of the small spectral of light that fluttered away and towards the astronomy tower.

* * *

"Hey Mason."

"Hey." The tattooist said with a grin, looking over his shoulder.

"Auntie Mowia!" Melody chirped happily rushing to her and latching on Moria's leg, to which the woman smiled, patting the girl's head.

"Been awhile since this happened to me." Moria told her half-brother with a chuckle, sitting down at the table.

"Yes, this happens to me every day." Mason replied dryly, handing her a cup of tea.

"Thanks."

"How's work?"

"It's…interesting…" Moria responded with a smile. "I'm a teacher, and it's amazing what answers a child will give. And with all those talisman sales going on…"

"Talisman? Sounds…iffy…even with what you…are."

"Just having a problem at school." Moria explained. "It's panicked the students. And some of the students are taking the opportunity to try out fake talismans."

"Ah, kind of reminds me when me and my friends would sell 'beer' to underage students." Mason said with a snort. "Really it was just flat pop, but they were idiots and didn't know any better. Made a bundle."

"You probably scarred some children when they drank actual liquor." Moria replied with a smile.

"You sure, you're alright? You sound really tired." Mason observed and Moria sighed.

"Well it's just the stress of this year…plus with a rather annoying teacher who won't leave me alone."

"Want me to beat him up?"

Moria laughed, shaking her head.

"No, no…trust me, I can handle him." She replied, playing with her wedding band.

"Ah…I see." He finally said, motioning to the ring. "It's not that you can't handle him…you don't want to be the one to handle him."

"I just said I could handle him."

"Yes, but you're married. And sometimes it would be nice when the significant other defends and protects you." Mason explained. "You've been on your own for so long…it's bound to be tiring."

Moria let out a slow sigh, watching as Melody toddled over to play with her toys.

"Getting off topic…how do you know if someone has magic abilities?"

She glanced at her half-brother.

"Well that depends. For anyone in the magic realm, we all know there's a book that every person's name that can be a wizard or witch is written down. For a parent or guardian from the muggle world, it's a bit more difficult. It's called accidental magic. A person who has magic abilities during certain moods or extreme emotions can tap into that magic and it can cause a lot of haywire things to happen. Why?"

"Just curious."

"Has Melody been having those issues?"

"I don't know. Just…that stupid doll of hers has been ending up in places that there is no way she could reach, even if she chucked it."

"Interesting. Well keep an eye on her, and if something worse goes on, contact me."

"Got it."

"I'm just hoping this year doesn't get any worse."

* * *

Of course the year had to prove Moria wrong, didn't it?

Harry sighed as walked down the halls, trying to ignore the whispers. It had only been a day since that dueling club fiasco. He was a Parseltongue, apparently. Something that Moria obviously hadn't been expecting based on her expression. Max had at least been lighthearted about it, stating that of course the boy that had screamed like a little girl when she had held up a snake could actually speak to them.

"Harry!"

The called boy stopped and turned to see Geoffrey rushing up to him. "Hey Geoff."

"What's up?"

"Other than the entire school hating me?"

"Oh come off it."

"Justin isn't making it easier."

"I don't blame him for being a bit freaked out because of the whole snake thing, but I can see your reasoning about it." Geoffrey remarked. "Look, I'll go talk to him later tonight, alright?"

"Really."

"Yeah. I mean no reason in him being scared of you." Geoffrey remarked with a grin. "Don't worry Harry after a few more weeks, things will die down again."

Harry sighed as Max and her friend, Charlotte if he remembered correctly, walked by, Max leading Charlotte.

"Hey Max."

"Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Or as fine as the parseltongue Gryffindor can be." Harry replied dryly.

"You'll manage."

"If it is any help, I could always send Justin positive waves." Charlotte stated, looking at Harry.

"Er…thanks?" Harry asked looking at Max.

"Charlotte has this ability to sense and emit these…well…electronic waves. It's how her accidental magic came out, and she worked on it. She's like a master at it now. Isn't it wicked?"

"Um…yes?" Geoffrey remarked looking at Charlotte in interest. The blind girl shrugged, before tugging on Max's hand.

"You said you wanted to go talk to Nysa."

"Nysa? As in Nysa Malfoy?" Harry asked in astonishment. Max glared at him. Yes, she knew that Harry suspected that whoever had opened this 'Chamber of Secrets' was Draco Malfoy, but apparently the namesake didn't leave the other one who shared the name out of the picture.

"You do realize she's normally gotten into fights with her own housemates. I doubt she's the one who might be opening this chamber."

"You never know. Malfoy's aren't exactly known to like muggleborn witches and wizards."

"Or blood traitors, I know Harry." Max grumbled. "Still, she seems nice…well nice enough. Look, just trust me on this, alright? Her cousin is an arse, but Nysa isn't."

Harry looked less than obliged to believe in her word, but nodded nonetheless. Geoffrey looked at the pair with a grin.

"The benefits of being an only child. Never have to debate with a sibling on who to be friends with. Well, I have to head over and find Justin. You three behave, alright? No sneaking off." Geoffrey grinned as the trio chuckled. "I'll see you guys later."

"Yeah. Don't get into any trouble yourself." Max remarked waving at the Ravenclaw as he walked past. The older boy merely waved his hand over his head laughing merrily at that notion.

If only they knew.

* * *

Remus Lupin was reading a novel late that night. He should have been asleep, but for some reason, something settled in the back of his stomach that had made him uneasy. Even reading was proving difficult. Maybe it was what Moria had told him when she had visited him recently about the petrification of Mrs. Norris and the 1st year Gryffindor student Colin. Likely it was that…still…he didn't-

There was a familiar popping sound and the door opened and shut. He stood and grabbed his wand.

"Hello?"

"It's me." A familiar voice called out and he sighed.

"Moria, not that I don't mind when you drop by, but you really need to work on-"

"Get dressed. I'm taking you to Hogwarts."

"Merlin, what did Geoffrey and the Weasley twins do now?" Remus whined as he turned around the corner. But he paused when he saw Moria standing in the kitchen, her face a pale color. "What? What's wrong?"

She swallowed.

"Geoffrey and a boy named Justin Finch-Fletchley were found today with Nearly-Headless Nick." Moria said her lips barely moving.

Remus felt the blood drain out of his face.

"They've been petrified."


	6. DIVISONS IN HOUSE

It was surreal, how little the castle had changed. There were still the stone towers, the glass windows that brought multicolored light into the halls. The hospital ward too had not changed a bit for he had been there more times than he liked to remember, be it for him or for James and Sirius.

If only Remus Lupin's heart wasn't dangerously close to stopping. He might have taken the time to appreciate it a bit more.

But he spotted his son lying on one of the cots, still wearing the faded, hand-me-down uniform, his expression frozen in one of a mix of horror and confusion, if not a bit befuddled as though he couldn't quite figure out what had stood attacked him, one arm extended out as though he had tried to protect someone, the boy Justin, the other was extended towards his own face, trying to cover his eyes.

He hadn't been quick enough it seemed.

"Oh Pup, what did you get yourself into?" He hoarsely asked hurrying over to his son's side. Pomfrey looked at Moria almost as though to scold her.

"He would have figured something was wrong the moment Geoffrey stopped making contact." Moria muttered. "Besides, I meet up with him every month, and I wouldn't have been able to lie to him about this."

Pomfrey was silent before nodding, her eyes softening as she watched Remus worry over his petrified son. Moria watched before summoning a chair and it floated over to where Remus was.

He wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon.

* * *

It was night, and rather quiet in the Hospital Ward. Three petrified students, one petrified ghost, and one petrified cat were in the wing. One figure however was moving, asleep in a chair that was next to one of the petrified forms. Slowly a soft ball of light floated down the glow illuminating gently, as to not awaken the sleeping father who was staying vigil next to his son's side. The orb slowly grew into a glowing figure with long blond hair that glided a transparent hand across Geoffrey's still cheek.

"_You have grown so much Baby Boy."_ The voice whispered gently, barely audible and disappearing quickly into the still air, though Geoffrey made no acknowledgement. Remus however shifted in his sleep and the figure glanced at him, a transparent smile on her face.

"_Always the worrier, aren't you Remus?"_ She muttered gently. _"You've done well in raising him. That I can thank you for."_ She whispered and Remus shifted in his sleep. She hummed softly a random tune that seemed to echo. Remus shifted in his sleep again, an expression of confusion covering his face. The translucent figure smiled gently her fingers skimming his scarred cheek.

"_Everything will work out in time."_ She whispered gently as she began to vanish. _"As there is no such thing as an accident…only fate misnamed."_

The orb glided around the two once more.

"_Do not forget Remus, I wanted you to live. Do me a favor, and do that as well."_

Remus awoke with a start, stretching a bit to get the crick out of his neck.

He could have sworn he had heard Bryn a moment ago…

Blinking he looked down at Geoffrey, sighing.

God…what would she think now with how Geoffrey was right then? She'd probably think he was absolutely pathetic.

"I'm trying Bry, I promise you…I'm trying." He muttered.

And he didn't try to figure out the soft laugh that echoed in the back of his head, just that maybe somewhere Bryn was watching…

And she knew he was telling the truth.

* * *

"Harry, what happened to Geoffrey wasn't your fault." Max said softly as she and her brother sat in the Common room.

"He was going to talk to Justin because of me."

"He would have done that for any of his friends. I mean he's done that a few times for George and Fred."

"But he was doing it for _me_. He was going there to convince Justin that I wasn't Slytherin's Heir. And he, Justin, and Sir Nick ALL become petrified!"

"It isn't your fault, and if I have to sneak into the boys dormitory and beat it into your thick skull, so be it."

Harry had little doubt that his little sister would do just that.

"They'll figure this out, Harry." Max remarked, glancing up as Ginny walked by. Harry watched Max's expression break slightly. He looked at Ginny as she disappeared up to the girl's dorms and frowned.

She looked almost dead, a walking zombie.

"What's with her?" He asked.

"I don't know. She doesn't talk to me all that much anymore. She spends more time writing in that stupid journal of hers."

Harry looked at her as she frowned.

"She'll be fine…" He tried to reason but she sighed. "I'm surprised Mum said we could stay here." He added changing the subject.

"I think Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore asked if she could stay for the sake of the students staying here." She remarked, not missing the look on Harry's face, but decided to not ask. He likely wasn't going to tell her anyways. She stood up and went to her tower, but paused.

"Harry…whatever you're planning on trying to do, can you promise you'll be careful?" She asked.

"…You know I'm always careful." He remarked and she snorted.

"As careful as a Potter can be, that is." She added and he grinned, sticking his tongue out. With a sigh she climbed the steps. As she got to the door she heard Merlin yow and then hiss loudly. She hurriedly opened the door to see Merlin on her dresser, his back arched and his fur stickling up as he hissed in the direction of the only other occupant in the room, who was glaring at the cat as though he had bitten her…

Ginny Weasley.

"What the bloody hell happened?" She asked, going over to her cat and picking him up, trying to soothe him. He hissed as she touched his side and she looked down on the ground to see their Herbology book, more importantly, _Ginny's _Herbology book splayed on the ground.

"You threw a book at him!?" She hissed out, looking at her friend in disbelief.

"He was CLAWING my journal!" Ginny exclaimed, holding up the black book as though it was proof. "He was trying to tear the pages out!"

"So that's enough reason to throw a book at him!?" Max yelled out, cradling her kitten to her chest. "You could have really hurt him! You might have actually hurt him, since he's still a baby Ginny! What were you thinking?!"

"Oh so you're defending your cat?! You cat could have destroyed my journal, but heavens let's defend the cat!"

"It's a journal, the worst he could have done was give it, what, a scratch? A torn page?! All you had to have done was move him off your bed! You didn't have to toss a book at him!" Max snapped angrily.

"I bet you wouldn't defend him if he did that to your OTHER friends, would you?!" She snapped and Max blinked in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Max asked as she kept petting her kitten.

"You're new friends! The ones you are always hanging out with!"

"Nysa, Charlotte, and Luna are nice girls, Ginny! And yeah, they're my friends, but you're my friend too! Even more, they would be your friends as well, but you don't even talk to me anymore!" Max snapped angrily. "Hell, you don't even say hi to me if we so much as pass through the hall! You're so occupied with that stupid journal of yours, that I sometimes think you think that IT'S your friend and not me! I don't know what I did since we got here to make you think that, but THAT THING IS NOT REAL! I AM!" She yelled the last part.

"You always went about complaining how you only had Ron as a friend before me, but for goodness sake, it's no wonder when you can't get your nose out of that damn journal!" Max continued, gripping Merlin tightly. "Now I wonder if you even want friends, or just something to complain about in that stupid piece of junk journal you have!"

She should have expected the slap, still, she was stunned as the sound of connected flesh echoed in the otherwise empty room startled her as her head turned along the path of the hand and she stumbled a few steps backwards. Slowly she turned her head back, to stare at Ginny, who, ironically, seemed stunned that she had slapped her as well, staring at the palm of her hand as though she hadn't even realized she had hit her until she had.

"Max, I-"

Max shook her head and turned holding Merlin to her and left the room, slamming the door shut. She ignored the greetings as she entered the common room and hurried out the portrait and continued down the stairs. She stopped for several minutes, cradling her burning cheek as tears blurred her vision. She pushed them back and continued down to Hagrid's hut. She wanted to get Merlin checked, and he was the best choice. Plus she always found going there to be calming.

And right then, she needed to calm down. She knocked on the door and heard Fang bark.

"I'm comin'." She heard and felt the vibrations from the old wood under her feet before the door opened.

"Max?" Wha' ya visitin' for?" The large man asked, and she lifted up Merlin, who mewed.

"I well…Merlin…see Merlin had a book thrown at him, and I wanted to make sure he was alright, and…" She swallowed thickly, looking at him as he seemed to be observing her and she couldn't mistake that he was looking at her cheek.

"Come in, come in." He finally remarked and she did as she was told. Merlin watched Fang warily, giving a slight hiss to the large dog as though to warn him that he may have been tiny, but he would still try to claw the dog's eyes out.

"Can' say I wasn' 'spectin yeh. Wha, wit yer folks an' Harry comin' here all da time." He remarked, sitting in his chair and gingerly retrieved Merlin from Max's grip. He seemed to start checking the squirming kitten, who mewed in protest when placed on his back, batting at Hagri'd fingers.

"Lemme see yeh." He said with a chuckle and Max snorted, curling up and resting her chin on her knees.

"He's a little energetic. Sorry…" She muttered.

"Tha's fine. Nothin' 'rong wit tha'." He replied with a smile then looked at her. "Summat happen' ter yeh?"

"Just a disagreement." She muttered softly.

"Summat ter do wit' wha happen' ter yer cheek?" He asked and she blushed, covering it with her hand, but remained silent.

"Hagrid…do you think I'm a good friend?" She finally asked. That seemed to surprise the large man who looked at her. "Or am I as bad of a friend as I think I am."

"Codswallop! Who said summat like tha' ter yeh?"

"Ginny…" She finally murmured. "I don't know, she and I have been at odds since the beginning of the year. She doesn't really talk to me, and whenever Charlotte or I tried to talk to her, she'd just ignore us. And she's been so distant lately, I mean…I thought at first she was just homesick. She hasn't been really away from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, but she has her brothers. And I mean, I can't really help since my Mum and brother are here, and-"

"Calm down, yer gonna pass ou' if yeh don' calm down." Hagrid said gently patting her head. "Di' Ginny do tha' ter yer face?"

"I…I don't think she meant to. We were arguing, and like I said, I think she was stressed…"

"Doesn' matter. She shouldn'ta dun tha."

Max swallowed, and nodded.

"Now, I dunno why she did tha to yeh. Bu' I do know 'his. Yeh need ter tell her yer feelin's 'bout tis." He said handing Merlin back to her. "'s no good keepin it all in."

"Yes sir."

"Gotta say, yer not like yer Ma and Da. Both of 'em woulda punched back."

She smiled at that.

"That does sound like my Mum and Dad." She admitted. "I'm sorry for bothering you." She added weakly and he chuckled.

"Nuthin ter worry 'bout. I enjoy da 'mpany." He added as Fang woofed, sniffing Merlin's butt.

Hagrid didn't even seem all that surprised when the tiny kitten hissed and seconds later Fang howled. After apologizing again Max left, and began to head back towards the castle, but paused, turning to look at the tree line to the Forbidden Forest. Merlin mewed, looking up at Max as she made her way over to it, staring into the dark trees, her eyes narrowing as though she had seen something. She could have sworn she had seen a light.

"Max, you're losing it." She mumbled to herself before turning and hurrying back to the castle. Had she looked back, she would have spotted a man slowly forming out of the shadows, his starlit eyes watching her.

It would only be a matter of time.

* * *

"Crabbe and Goyle are morons." Ron grumbled as the looked at the hair samples they had gotten. "Or are we for trying to make the polyjuice potion?"

"Well Hermione made it."

"Yeah, but all three of us are the guinea pigs!" Ron hissed as they hurried towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Well we need to find out if Draco is Slytherin's heir or not." Harry remarked dryly.

"Maybe it's Nysa. I mean Malfoy could have gotten us last year, but he didn't." Ron suggested and Harry was silent. He didn't like to think of Max's friend as a possibility. Still…

"Well, we'll ask that when we get this potion and drink it, right?" Harry remarked as they entered. Hermione was already there.

"Laced cupcakes worked like a charm, Hermione." Ron stated and Hermione smiled.

"Did you get them?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

Harry showed her Goyle's hair.

"Good. I also got these spare robes from the laundry, because you'll need bigger sizes once you're Crabbe and Goyle."

They all looked at the cauldron and shuddered.

"I'm sure I've done everything right." Hermione stated nervously. "I mean, it looks like the book says it should…so once we've drunk it we have an hour before we change back into ourselves. And now we just have to separate it into three glasses and add the hairs." She explained. She then ladled large dollops of the potion into each glasses. Then they placed the hairs into the glasses. All three hissed and frothed madly before settling into different colors; a sick sort of yellow in Hermione's cup, the khaki color of a booger in Ron's, and a dark, murky brown in Harry's.

"Hang on…we should change first." Ron remarked. "Millicent's no pixie, and we won't fit in our uniforms as Crabbe and Goyle."

"Good idea."

After that…everything should go according to plan.

Well…everything was going sort of according to plan, Harry mused dryly. Hermione had said she wouldn't be able to go, for some unknown reason, so they had had to figure a way to get to Slytherin's dorm. After nearly being caught by Moria, for once thanking the fact that Lockhart was trying to flirt _AGAIN_ with her and watch him get a nice meeting with the floor after Moria had 'accidentally' tripped him…which made the two boys question how many brain cells their teacher had…they had run into Draco as they were being questioned by Percy. And they had just _barely_ managed to convince Draco that reading an article about Mr. Weasley was funny. And while Draco seemed to believe their act, Harry could see Nysa was sitting nearby and watching them strangely as she cleaned that gems in the bag she always carried around.

"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them." Malfoy said in disgust. "You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave." He added and Ron's face contorted with fury.

"What's up with you Crabbe?" Malfoy snapped.

"Stomachache," Ron grunted.

"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," Malfoy said, snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in."Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "`Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"'

He dropped his hands and looked at Harry and Ron.

"What's the matter with you two?"

Harry and Ron forced themselves to laugh. Thankfully, Malfoy seemed satisfied. Crabbe and Goyle were apparently as slow as they looked.

"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "You wouldn't eve know it that he's being raised by a member of the Black family. That half-blood, bloodtraitored wench, married to an apparent blood traitor, she and that bratty daughter of hers are barely magic either. Makes me sick even being semi-related to them." Draco regaled and Harry forced himself to not do anything. Draco didn't seem to notice.

"But Potter…He's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think he's Slytherin's heir!"

Harry and Ron waited with bated breath: Malfoy was surely seconds away from telling them it was him - but then

"I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."

Ron's jaw dropped so that Crabbe looked even more clueless than usual. Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice, and Harry, thinking fast, said, "You must have some idea who's behind it all…I mean…"

"You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it."

"So it isn't…"

Draco glanced over his shoulder and snorted at his cousin, who seemed to be completely ignorant, though Harry felt as though it was a feint.

"No. She's so much a black sheep that Slytherin's Heir wouldn't choose…._her_."

And at that moment, Harry understood Max's rebuttal that it wasn't Nysa. And glancing at Ron, he did too.

Draco hated Nysa, so much. He wouldn't be like that if he knew it was her.

"But I know one thing - last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of thems killed this time ... I hope its Granger." he said with relish.

Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists and he stood almost angrily, his face red…in fact, even his hair was turning red. His nose was also slowly lengthening—!

Harry's eyes widened in realization. Their hour was up, Ron was turning back into himself, and from the look of horror he was suddenly giving Harry, he must be, too.

"What's with you two, you've been acting s-"

Draco's voice suddenly turned into a squeak as Nysa, who had hurried over to them grabbed Draco's waistband and pulled it up. His voice suddenly became high pitched.

"Crabbe! Goyle! Do something!" He squeaked.

Thinking just as fast, Harry grabbed Nysa's arm and pulled both her and Ron with him as they hurried out of the Slytherin common room. They barely made it around the hall before they were back to themselves.

"Be lucky I am not as dimwitted as my cousin." Nysa remarked dryly as Harry pulled on his glasses.

"How…How…"

"They reek of just general stupidity. You on the other hand, do not…though your redheaded friend here was close." She remarked and Ron shifted uneasily. She turned to walk away. Then she stopped.

"Weasley."

Ron looked up.

"Tell your father, that Uncle has a secret chamber under the drawing-room floor where he keeps his Dark Arts stuff. That's why they didn't find much on the raid of the Malfoy Manor last week." She stated and then sniffed before walking away.

"Wait!"

Nysa paused, glancing behind her shoulder.

"Um…thanks…Ma-…" Ron swallowed. "I mean…Nysa."

Nysa looked at them and then smiled.

"Vse priderzhivat'sya yego dyade." She responded and then continued to walk back to the Slytherin Common room. With that the boys rushed off and Harry could feel his feet slipping around in Goyle's huge shoes and had to hoist up his robes. They rushed up the steps into the dark entrance hall, and they could hear muffled pounding coming from the closet where they'd locked Crabbe and Goyle. Leaving their shoes outside the closet door, they sprinted in their socks up the marble staircase toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and seconds later, they were in there. Ron hammered on the door of Hermione's stall.

"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you -"

"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.

Harry and Ron looked at each other.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked, confused. "You must be back to normal by now. I mean, we are."

"Ooooooh, wait till you see," Moaning Myrtle said as she glided through the stall door. Harry didn't think she'd been any happier. "It's awful-"

They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.

"What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or some-"

Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink.

"Uh-oh," said Ron.

"You'll be teased something dreadful." Myrtle said happily.

"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions…"

Though personally he wondered if even she wouldn't ask what he was looking at.

* * *

Moria grumbled as she heard her name be called in a singsong voice. The man was persistent, she'd give him that.

"What is it Lockhart. And if you stick another thing of mistletoe in my face, I'm afraid you swallowing it will be the least of your worries." She snapped turning around as the man in an exuberant red and green robe waltzed towards her.

He pulled her to him.

"Where is yer Christmas Spirit?"

"Oh gee…that's right. It's the holidays? Golly, I had all but forgotten till you came walking up wearing that damn robe." She grumbled then sniffed, and her nose wrinkled. "Why does your breath stink of eggnog?!"

"Dunno…" He slurred. "I might have one or two…"

"Right." Moria grumbled and then jerked and glared at him.

"Professor Lockhart. I understand right now you're drunk and all, which by the way as you are supposed to be on duty to make sure students aren't sneaking around is completely unethical, but being drunk I will try to be cordial, but if your hand is not removed from where it sitting, you will wake up with a whole lot more than a hangover."

"Such as?"

"Missing teeth." She snapped pulling his hand from the small of her back and twisting him to where she had pulled both arms around his back and pulled them. He let out a drunken squeak as she pushed him away and he stumbled, nearly hitting the wall. It didn't stop his spirits as he began to hum carols. Thankfully he turned around and stumbled away. She sighed, her hand going to her wedding band and twirling it.

"M-Mum?"

The surprised squawk had her turning and she saw Harry and Ron looking surprised and a bit apprehensive. She looked at her godson.

"What are you doing out of bed?" She asked angrily, crossing her arms. "Harry, you should-" There was a loud sniff and another figure walked out. Moria's jaw dropped at the sight.

"Hermione?"

The girl wasn't even recognizable. Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair. At the sight of her, Hermione burst into a fresh wave of tears.

"Oh Merlin…" She whispered and then Moria put a hand on her shoulder and with a slight look that was clear to tell Harry and Ron to go back to the dorm. "I'll handle this."

"You aren't going to ask?" Hermione whimpered sniffling. Moria bit her lip then shook her head.

"You've gone through enough right now. It's the Holiday's. I think I'll spare you further questioning…for the moment." She added and the girl sniffled loudly. Harry and Ron seemed to relax at this.

"You two get back to the Gryffindor Tower, and Harry James Potter." She added and the said boy stopped in his tracks. "I expect an explanation when I get back."

She did not mistake the groan as she kept walking and she did not hide the slight smile.

Merry Christmas indeed.

* * *

Thought I'd add some Nysa in there. Both the movie and book involve Harry and Ron just running out...thought I'd add this reason :). Also let it be known that do you think GINNY is the one who is doing all that?

Vse priderzhivat'sya yego dyade = Anything to stick it to my uncle.


	7. ENTERING THE CHAMBER

Nysa Malfoy wasn't expecting much. Why would she expect anything for Christmas? It wasn't like her uncle and his family would send her anything. The only reason why Lucius Malfoy had even agreed to take her as his charge was because her father had threatened him. How he had threatened her uncle, she didn't know, but truthfully she didn't care.

And it wasn't like her parents or most of her siblings were going to send anything either, though her younger siblings had at least sent her a small box with what was likely a piece of jewelry for her. No, her parents had made it clear that after it had been discovered there was a reason she had been so attracted to her grandmother's jewels; an heirloom of the once prominent Cuffe family, she was no longer welcome except for short visits.

Truly, she didn't know why they blamed her.

It wasn't like she had wanted to become a jewel witch.

Sighing she lay in her bed, staring at the glittering reflections of the Black Lake on the ceiling. The claustrophobic feeling coinciding with the fear of suddenly drowning should the glass fail with the girls that were her suite makes had long since subsided, but the silence wasn't something she had ever gotten used to. They were all gone for the holidays save for a few girls in other sections. The bag of jewels and the glove her grandmother had given her as her mother shrieked and bemoaned that she was wrong, that her eldest daughter couldn't have been born a jewel witch rested on the night stand next to her.

Other than Dumbledore and likely Snape, no one knew why she had come here. She didn't particularly care; it would be just another reason for everyone to avoid her. Besides, her grandmother had told that only one of two things could happen to her now.

Either she would fade into anonymity…or she would go insane.

She didn't know which she would prefer. At least with insanity she wouldn't know how alone she was. But as she closed her eyes, trying to fall back asleep, the sound of familiar laughter filled her head and she opened her eyes again.

That…wasn't true as much anymore now…was it?

She had forgotten what it was like to have friends. Max, Charlotte, and Luna were certainly friends, as strange as they were. Her ancestors were likely rolling in their graves, but she certainly didn't care.

Since when did she care?

Sighing she sat up, deciding that it didn't matter, she wasn't going to go to sleep. She could always see how Christmas breakfast was doing so far, and wait till everyone showed up for that.

Pulling on her clothes she pocketed the jewels and exited the room, immediately having to adjust her eyes to the darkened hall. She entered the Common Room and found that most of her fellow Slytherin's were entranced by their elaborate pile of gifts, covered in silver and green ribbon. She rolled her eyes and began to walk towards the entrance. She'd open her sibling's gift later.

"Hey Nysa!" A snooty voice called out, and the pureblood turned to see half-blood Priscilla Clark gesturing to a small pile with a smirk. The wrappings weren't that pretty on one and the other three were different house ribbon.

"Look, even the reject got some gifts." Priscilla squeaked and while some laughed, Nysa had to work hard on keeping her face neutral. She was silent as she strode over and collected each item, all left alone as apparently they must have thought she was cursed. Not even Draco, with his incessant curiosity had touched them, granted that may have had more to do with the risk of gaining a black eye.

She then turned back around and went down the stairs to the dorms. She vaguely heard Priscilla make a nasty comment, but she entered her dorm alone and sat back down on her bed, spreading the five presents on her bed, blinking rather slowly at them.

Hesitantly she grabbed the Ravenclaw wrapped box, flipping it over and over again. Though she had suspected it, she found the tag of it being from Luna. She eased the box open and inside was a pendant and a note. She opened it and there were the light writings of Luna.

"_Merry Christmas Nysa,_

_I had this necklace and it has brought me some lovely insight. My father said that the __Prasiolite in the bead will offer you great inner vision, and will show the nargles to protect you. I'll give you a butterbeer cork to keep them back when I get back to school."_

She blinked several times, her fingers gliding over the bead and the corners of her lips twitched up a bit, and she put the necklace over her neck, before she closed the lid, placing the present down on her bed gingerly. She then lifted the present of the Hufflepuff covered box. This one only had Charlotte's name on it, and a letter was found as well

"_Nysa,_

_May this stone protect you."_

It was short and simple but the gift was a stone with a slowly carved out rune of protection. She moved it around in her hand. It must have taken Charlotte weeks to carve it into the stone, Max and Luna likely helping her. She placed the stone into her pocket before repeating what she had done earlier. She opened the box from her siblings. This time there was no letter or note and inside was what she had expected. A simple brooch.

Well…at least they had given her a gift.

Sighing she placed that box down and then opened the next one; the Gryffindor colored one. It was from Max and inside was a intricately designed image with colors that was moving around in hypnotic motions.

"_Nysa,_

_Merry Christmas! I hope you like this. I thought you should have something to lighten up the Slytherin Dorm Room. Enjoy!_

Nysa smiled and placed the picture on her nightstand. Then she looked at the last package, the heaviest of the group. She picked it up, and felt it give a bit. She blinked in surprise at the name scrawled on the letter.

Molly…Weasley?

She hadn't expected that.

Vaguely and a bit hesitantly she began to open it. She knew that Malfoy's and Weasley's weren't on good terms, so she wondered what she could have been given and why-

The paper fell away and there was a handmade sweater.

She stared at it, her fingers running against the sweater. She had heard Max comment about it, and she had complimented the one that she had worn for the past few months, but she hadn't expected one herself.

She didn't think she had earned something handmade.

She kept staring at the sweater, as though it would vanish if she looked away and vaguely wondered if this was what it was like to actually be loved and not feared.

And maybe, just maybe she thought she could enjoy it.

* * *

"Mum? Why'd you give me a mirror?" Harry asked Christmas morning. Moria smirked.

"Well, considering how much your father liked to preen, I figured it was high time-"

"Mmmmmmuuummmm!" Harry whined and Moria finally chuckled, ruffling his hair. Several of the other Gryffindor's all snorted at the pair but Max barely noticed, too busy playing with the new toy she had gotten Merlin. The kitten was having the time of his life.

"I'm joking Harry. It's called a two-way mirror." Moria explained, still chortling and held up her own mirror that she retrieved from her pocket. "If you need to speak to me, just say my name into it; you'll appear in my mirror and I'll be able to talk in yours and vice versa. I managed to find both your father's and Sirius's a few months ago, thank the heavens."

"Dad and Sirius used these?" Harry asked, perking up.

"Mhm. Granted, for your father and Sirius it was mainly a way they could communicate when McGonagall placed them in separate detentions. Drove your mother crazy once they got together because Sirius always enjoyed cock-blocking them."

"Did Dad do it to you and Sirius?" Harry asked and Moria laughed.

"You kidding? Your father and Sirius made it a contest of who could cock-block the most. It got so bad, your father gave me the other mirror to make sure Sirius wouldn't cock-block on certain dates."

Harry snorted loudly.

"Thanks." He added with a grin.

"Now promise me you will contact me if necessary, using this. Alright? I don't want you running off and going somewhere and getting hurt because you didn't want to get into trouble from me and decided not to use it."

"Promise."

Moria smiled. Maybe the rest of the school year would be perfectly fine and no trouble.

Of course she couldn't be more wrong.

* * *

It had been quiet for the first few months of the school year, though everyone could have lived without Valentine's Day. It had to say something when even Severus Snape looked at Moria with pity when several dwarves wearing golden wings and carrying harps to make them look like cupids followed her around all from Lockhart. They had gotten the hint and left her alone after she sent Lockhart a reply that resulted in him having a swollen face that she didn't deny may or may have not been a hex. Lockhart had left her alone after that as well, though it was likely because of McGonagall warning him of his behavior.

Then May came.

Max sighed as she walked down the hall.

Hermione had been petrified in early May, and the expression on Harry and Ron's expression was horrible to look at much less remember. It was strange to see just the two of them, as she was far to used to seeing those three. And then Dumbledore was removed as Headmaster, and Hagrid being sent to Azkaban…it was awful, absolutely awful! She grunted as someone bumped into her. She looked up to glare, thinking it was Draco who seemed to like waltzing around the school as though he owned the place.

Instead it was Ginny.

"Gin?"

The redhead ignored her as she hurried up, and Max watched, her brow furrowing in confusion. Ginny was just staring straight ahead as though she hadn't even heard her. Even stranger was that one of Ginny's hands was stained in what looked like red paint. And of course, AS USUAL that stupid diary was in the hand.

"Ginny? Are you okay?"

Still silence.

At first she just thought that Ginny was being rude, because, well…they still hadn't talked.

But something seemed off. Her movements were jarred and her walking seemed strange. Max hesitated, wondering what to do…logic dictated that she should get a teacher…but then Ginny would likely vanish to wherever she was going.

Oh what would her parents do?

Well…that answer came soon enough, and with a determined look on her face, she strode forward after Ginny.

"Ginny, okay…Ginny look, I don't know if you're angry at me, but McGonagall told us we aren't supposed to go anywhere without one of the teachers…and this is _clearly_ against the rules. Not to sound like Hermione, but-"

Max paused as Ginny entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Strange…Ginny had said all her brother's sans Ron had told her to avoid that bathroom. Myrtle was a bit…strong…when it came to emotions.

"Gin? Are you okay?" She asked again, but once again the redhead girl didn't answer. Max hesitated before following her.

"Ginny, I really don't think we should be in here." Max said, but Ginny began to laugh. It didn't sound like her.

It didn't sound like her at all.

"Gin-"

The girl turned around and Max's retort died in her throat as she stared into Ginny's eyes, which were cloaked and seemed to be glowing in a color of red. A dark aura seemed to wrap around the girl.

"_**So ends the bloodline of the 'Noble and Ancient House of Black'."**_ A voice, layered over Ginny's hissed out. Max stared, frozen.

"G-Ginny? Wh-"

She didn't even get her wand out.

She didn't hear the spell.

All she felt was her feet leave the floor and her flying before she smashed into the wall. There was a sickening crack and her vision flashed white and she crumpled to the ground.

Her vision slowly faded, the last thing she saw being Ginny standing above her before turning and she heard a hissing sound as though a door was sliding open.

Then darkness.

* * *

"So…the monster in the Chamber is a basilisk! That's why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue." Harry breathed looking at the piece of the book that Hermione had torn out just before she had been petrified. It made perfect sense.

"The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died - because no one looked it straight in the eye. I mean think about it. Colin saw it through his camera…Justin and Geoffrey, they must have seen it through Nearly Headless Nick."

"And Nick?" Ron asked, frowning.

"Well he can't die again. And Hermione and the Ravenclaw prefect, were found with the mirror because Hermione had just realized that the monster was a basilisk. She must have warned her about the danger and they looked around the corners with the mirror first!"

"But what about Mrs. Norris?" Ron asked. "She can't exactly hold a mirror, camera, and there weren't any ghosts nearby. They were at Nearly Headless Nick's DeadDay Party."

Harry frowned, thinking of the scene.

"The water…remember that Moaning Myrtle had flooded the bathroom and the floors around it? I bet you Mrs. Norris only saw the reflection. And remember Hagrid's roosters?"

"The ones that died?"

"Yeah! The crowing of the rooster, it's fatal to a Basilisk. The Heir of Slytherin didn't want one anywhere near the castle once the Chamber was opened!" He tapped the page on one spot. "Even spiders flee before it.! It all fits!"

"But how is it getting around the place? I mean it's a giant snake. Someone would have seen it."

"Hermione answered that too. Pipes. It's been going through the pipe system. That's why I've been hearing the voice inside the walls."

Ron suddenly grabbed Harry's arm. "The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he exclaimed hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?"

They sat there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it. "This means," Harry said, "I can't be the only Parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin's one, too. That's how he's been controlling the basilisk."

"What're we going to do?" said Ron, whose eyes were flashing. "Should we go straight to McGonagall or your Mum?"

"Let's go to the staff room," said Harry, jumping up. "Either one of them will be there in ten minutes. It's nearly break time." They ran downstairs. Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor, they went straight into the deserted staff room. It was a large, paneled room full of dark, wooden chairs. Harry and Ron paced around it, too excited to sit down. But the bell to signal break never came. Instead, echoing through the corridors came Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.

"_All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately, please. "_

Harry wheeled around to stare at Ron. "Not another attack?Not now?"

"What'll we do?" said Ron, aghast. "Go back to thedormitory?"

"No," said Harry, glancing around. There was anugly sort of wardrobe to his left, full of the teachers'cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about. Then wecan tell them what we've found out."

They hid themselves inside it, listening to the rumbling ofhundreds of people moving overhead, and the staff room doorbanging open. From between the musty folds of the cloaks,they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Harry spotted Moria come in, glancing at the other professors in confusion.

McGonagall came in and judging by the expression that crawled onto her face, that it wasn't good.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself. The Heir of Slytherin left another message. Right underneath the first one. `Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever. "'

"…who?" Moria managed, and this was the first time Harry had ever heard his godmother sound like that/

"Who is it? Who was taken?"

"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall. Moria cursed, and no professor dared to scold her as she slumped against the wall.

Harry felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside him.

"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said-"

The staffroom door banged open again.

"So sorry - dozed off - what have I missed?" Lockhart's ever go lucky voice echoed in the room, and from the crack of the door, Harry could see Moria's hands turn into fists. Snape, however stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said lightly. " A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Lockhart blanched and Moria looked at the Potions Master in disagreement..

McGonagall smiled tightly. "After all your skills are legendary."

Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue.

"V-very well," he said. "I'll-I'll be in my office, getting-getting ready."

And he left the room.

* * *

"Minerva, have you seen Max?"

"No…sadly I haven't. But with all the chaos right now…she likely wants to be left alone. I can't blame her." McGonagall remarked, glancing at where the group of Weasley brothers were. "She was Ginny's friend, I can't blame her wanting to be left alone."

Moria sighed, nodding.

"Do you really think Lockhart is going to help?"

"No. But it gets him out of hair for a little bit. Moria, I need you to go and retrieve Albus."

"Dumbledore?" Moria remarked. "But the school council…"

"We have a little girl missing…I think priority will change."

"Alright. I'll be back as soon as I can. If you see my daughter. Tell her I'll be back soon."

"Of course."

* * *

"Lockhart may be useless, but he's going to try to get into the chamber!" Harry said hurriedly as he and Ron raced into the DADA classroom. "At least we can tell him what we know!" "Professor, we've got some information for you," said Harry as he entered the room without knocking. "We think it'll help-"

He paused when he saw that the office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade-green, lilac, midnight blue, had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other.

"Are you going somewhere?" said Harry.

"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, smiling that smile that had won the hearts of women all over the continent. "Urgent call - unavoidable - got to go -"

"What about my sister?" said Ron jerkily.

"Well, as to that - most unfortunate -" said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets more than I -"

"You mean you're running away?" Harry asked in disbelief. "After all that stuff you did in your books -"

"Books can be misleading," Lockhart delicately replied, looking red in the face.

"You wrote them!" Harry shouted.

"My dear boy," said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at Harry. "Do you use your common sense? My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things.

"You're a fraud! You've just been taking credit for what a load of other people have done!" Harry accused.

"Is there anything you _can_ do?" Ron asked and Lockhart's chest puffed up.

"Yes." Lockhart replied angrily. "Now that you mention it.

He banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked them. I'm rather gifted with Memory Charms. Otherwise you see all those wizards would have gone blabbing. I'd have never sold another book." He explained sidestepping them.

"In fact, uh, I'm-uh- going to have to do the same to you." He said turning as he pulled his wand. However instead of being victorious, both boys had their wands out already, Ron's bent and covered in tape after the mishap earlier with the Whomping Willow.

"Expelliarmus! Harry yelled and Lockhart was blasted backwards, falling over his trunk, his wand soaring and falling out the open window. "Shouldn't have even thought about it. You don't think my Mum wouldn't have taught us some actual defense after the duel club?" Harry said. Ron gave a jeering grin and Lockhart quailed under their looks.

"What d'you want me to do?" said Lockhart weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."

"You're in luck," said Harry, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wandpoint. "We think we know where it is. And what's inside it. Let's go."

* * *

"Tom…Tom I want to go home."

Something or rather, someone was protesting. Max was sure of that. But her head felt sluggish, and her body ached, feeling as though a weight or some sort of pressure was pressing her down to the ground, making thoughts in her head slow and not that all-forthcoming. It took her even a few moments to realize that it was Ginny's voice. And even THAT sounded weak, as though a mouse caught in a trap of glue for too long, as though the struggling had worn it out.

"Tom…"

Then there was silence and something fell near her with a loud 'THUMP'.

She forced her eyes open a sliver and saw red hair next to her and Ginny's form crumpled next to hers. There were footsteps fading away, but she couldn't be sure for how long.

So slowly she gripped Ginny's outstretched hand, at least the fingertips. As though it would be proof to the redhead that she wasn't alone.

Before she lost consciousness again…she felt a faint squeeze back.

Then darkness became her companion again.

* * *

Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet when they entered. Harry noted that for some reason, one of the stall doors had a sizeable dent and there was a small stain on the ground that looked like it had dried.

"Oh…who are you? Bry?"

"No..." Harry remarked, wondering who Bry was, but decided that was a question for another time.

"Oh, it's you," she exclaimed when she saw Harry. "What do you want this time?" She said giggling

"To ask you how you died," said Harry.

Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.

"Ooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here, in this very cubicle.I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in."

"Who was it Myrtle?"

"I don't know!" Myrtle cried. "I was distraught! But they said something funny. A kind of made up language, I think it must have been. Anyway, I realized that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then-" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I died."

" Just like that?" Harry questioned, his brow furrowing in a similar way that Moria would do whenever she would be working on a puzzle, or when she had worked on cases in Italy. "How?" said Harry.

"I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes." Myrtle explained. "Over there by that sink."

Harry and Ron hurried over to it. Lockhart was standing well back, a look of utter terror on his face. He made a move to go, but stopped when Ron pointed his wand at him again.

It was strange…it looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then Harry saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.

"This is it."

"Harry," said Ron. "Say something. Something in Parseltongue."

Harry hesitated, before thinking as though the snake on the faucet was moving. And he spoke.

Except that the words weren't what he heard; a strange hissing had escaped him, and at once the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into. Lockhart exhaled loudly, giving a grimacing smile.

"Excellent Harry. Ha! Good work!" He complimented. Both boys glanced at one another. "Well then I'll just be…uh…well…there's no need for me to st-AY!" He exclaimed trying to run past them, but both boys grabbed his arms and pulled him back to the entrance of the chamber.

"Oh yes there is." Harry remarked easily.

"You can go first," Ron snarled.

White-faced and wandless, Lockhart looked over his shoulder at the opening.

"Boys," he said, his voice feeble. "What good will it do?"

"Better you than us." Ron replied smoothly and Lockhart swallowed stuttering to himself as he slowly turned around to face the entrance, his knuckles white from his grip on the sides of the other sinks.

"Sure we don't want to test it f-" He began to whine but Ron gave him a push, and he slid out of sight. The boys listened to his screams until there was a thud and a moment of silence.

"It's really quite filthy down here." Lockhart called up. Harry looked at Ron who nodded and he lowered himself slowly into the pipe, then let go and plunged into darkness.

* * *

And the first part of the fight in the Chamber of Secrets has begun. Phew! Almost done with Chamber of Secrets and then onto Prisoner of Azkaban.

Just so you know. It wasn't Ginny who asked Molly to make Nysa a sweater. it was Ron (after the whole thing with the polyjuice potion)


	8. THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

The tunnel was so dark that they could only see a little distance ahead after they finally landed at the bottom.

"Ugh…" Ron grumbled as he stepped on the bones of small creatures. Harry swallowed gathering his courage. He suddenly felt the weight of the mirror in his robe, and wondered what Moria would have done, or would likely do if she found out that he had done this.

Shuddering at the prospect he climbed up into one of the adjoining tunnels.

"Remember," Harry said quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of movement, close your eyes right away."

But the tunnel was quiet as a graveyard and they continued down the hall. Ron stopped suddenly.

"Harry, there's something up there." said Ron hoarsely, grabbing Harry's shoulder.

They froze, watching. Harry could just see the outline of something huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving. Harry edged forward, his wand held high.

"What's this?" Ron asked. Lockhart swallowed staring at it with a pale face visible in the low lighting.

"It looks like…" Lockhart swallowed. "Like a snake…"

"It's a snake skin." Harry clarified as the light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor.

"Bloody hell." said Ron weakly. "Whoever shed this must be at least 60 feet long."

Lockhart made a gurgling sound and the two boys looked at him to see that he had apparently fainted right next to him.

"Heart of a lion, this one." Ron remarked sarcastically.

Suddenly Lockhart sprung to his feet, then he dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground. Harry jumped forward, but too late, Lockhart was straightening up, panting, Ron's wand in his hand and a gleaming smile back on his face.

"The adventure ends here, boys!" he said. "But don't fret." He said easily. "The world will know our story. How I was too late to save the girl, how you two tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body." He explained. " So…you first Mr. Potter. Say good-bye to your memories!"

He raised Ron's Spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, "Obliviate!"

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Harry flung his arms over his head and ran, slipping over the coils of snakeskin, out of the way of great chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor. Next moment, he was standing alone, gazing at a solid wall of broken rock.

"Harry!" Ron called out from the one side. "HARRY!"

"Ron!" he shouted rushing back to the rock. "Are you okay? Ron!"

"I'm fine!" came Ron's muffled voice from behind the rockfall. Lockhart suddenly groaned and then looked up at Ron with a dazed smile on his face.

"Hello." He greeted. "…Who are you?"

Ron blinked several times. "Um…Ron Weasley?" He said uncertainly, wondering what the man was going on about.

"Really?" Lockhart remarked, apparently mystified with that answer. "And uh…who-who am I?"

It clicked in Ron's head.

"Lockhart's memory charm backfired!" He called out to Harry. "He hasn't got a clue who he is!"

"This is an odd sort of place isn't it?" Lockhart said lightheartedly, laughing as he picked up a rock and tossed it in the air. "Do you live here?"

Ron looked at him in disbelief.

"No." He grumbled, taking the rock from the obliviated teacher.

"Really? Well-"

Whatever Lockhart was going to say, was cut off as Ron smashed the rock into the back of the teacher's head, knocking him out.

"What now?" Ron's voice called out again, sounding desperate. "I can't get through - it'll take ages to pull all these rocks out."

Harry looked up at the tunnel ceiling. Huge cracks had appeared in it. He had never tried to break apart anything as large as these rocks by magic, and now didn't seem a good moment to try - what if the whole tunnel caved in? They were wasting time. Ginny had already been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours. Harry knew there was only one thing to do. He moved forward and slid the mirror into the only crack large enough to have the mirror fit. It was pulled away from his hand and Harry swallowed.

"Wait there, and call my Mum in a little bit. Just call for her using her name and she should show up. Tell her where we are and what's happening." he explained to Ron. "I'll go on... If I'm not back in an hour…" He trailed off swallowing. There was a very pregnant pause.

"I'll try and shift some of this rock," said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. "So you can-can get back through. And, Harry-"

"See you in a bit." said Harry, trying to inject some confidence into his shaking voice.

And he set off alone past the giant snakeskin.

* * *

"Great. First I lose my daughter. And now I can't find my son." Moria grumbled pushing her hair back in frustration. They were in lockdown. How was it, she couldn't find either of her kids?

Sure, she had gone and found Dumbledore and brought him to his office, and had stayed a little while longer, trying, in vain to comfort Molly, but it couldn't have been more than an hour _at most_. How was it that-

Suddenly the mirror in her pocket began to warm and vibrate. She glowered and lifted the mirror, expecting Harry.

Instead, she got Ron.

"Ron? What in the blazes?"

"Sorry, this took me awhile to figure out how to actually use it. I had to use a bunch of different names!" The redhead said quickly.

"What are you doing with Harry's mirror? And where the hell are you?" She asked as she looked at the surroundings around his head.

"We're in the Chamber of Secrets!"

"…you're WHAT?!" She screeched.

"It's in Myrtle's Bathroom at the sink! It should still be open!" Ron said quickly. "We had Lockhart with us-"

"That's not reassuring!" Moria snapped as she hurried around the corner heading to the bathroom.

"Don't have to tell me that, Lockhart tried to obliviate us but it backfired! Harry and I got separated and-"

Moria shoved the mirror in the pocket as she slid into the bathroom and saw the missing sink.

"Goddammit Harry." She whispered. "Why can't you stay out of trouble!"

* * *

Harry swallowed as he looked into the actual chamber at the end of a long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more serpents rose to a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. It had taken a few minutes for him to get here of all places with all the twists and turns, plus using Parseltongue again. But here he was. As he glanced around he spotted something in the distance and felt his heart swoop down. In the distance he spotted not one…but two still bodies, crumpled and close together. One had flaming red hair, the other dark.

It seemed he had found not just Ron's sister…but his as well.

"Ginny! Max!?" Harry muttered, sprinting to them and dropping to his knees, dropping his wand. "Don't be dead! Please don't be dead!"

He grabbed Ginny and Max's shoulders, and turned them over. Ginny's face was white as marble, and just as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified. He swallowed at the implications and then looked at Max's face. In contrast, Max's face still had color, but one side was stained with blood, and the slightly matted area on the side of her head was a sign as to what happened.

"Please wake up," Harry muttered desperately, shaking them. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side and Max barely stirred.

"She won't wake." said a soft voice. "And soon neither will the other."

Harry jumped and spun around on his knees. A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Harry were looking at him through a misted window. But there was no mistaking him

"Tom? Tom Riddle?"

Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Harry's face.

"What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry said desperately. "She's not…she's not… And Max…"

"She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just. The other is alive as well, but teetering on the same ledge, but the edge is weakening."

Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.

"Are you a ghost?" Harry asked.

"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

He gestured to the diary resting in Ginny's lax grip. Harry noted that Max was clutching the other hand in a loose, yet almost desperate grip. He wondered what had scared his sister that much, but realized there were more pressing matters to attend to.

"They're both cold as ice." Harry muttered. "You've got to help me, Tom," Harry said, raising Ginny's head again. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk-"

"It won't come until it is called." Riddle replied calmly.

He looked up. Riddle was still watching him – twirling Harry's wand between his long fingers.

"What d'you mean?" he asked. "Look, give me my wand, I might need it -"

Riddle's smile broadened.

"You won't be needing it," he said.

Harry stared at him.

"Listen we've got to go. We've got to save her!"

"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter," Riddle remarked as though he hadn't heard Harry's remark about Ginny. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."

Harry stared at him. There was something very funny going on here. Then he remembered Max's comments about how Ginny had been acting stranger and stranger as the year progressed and even he had spotted the changes as the year had dragged on.

"How did Ginny get like this?" he asked slowly.

"Well, that's an interesting question," Riddle remarked pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?"

"The diary," said Riddle. `My diary. See, little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes; how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how her best friend was making more friends, and how…" Riddle's eyes glinted at this. "How she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her."

All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Harry's face. There was an almost hungry look in them.

"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven- year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. _'No one's ever understood me like you, Tom…I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in…It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket.'_ All this and more as she drifted farther and farther away from her friends and family." Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh and it made the hairs stand up on the back of Harry's neck.

"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted, I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her."

"What do you mean?" Harry croaked out.

"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" said Riddle softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, a halfblood, and the Squib's cat.

"No," Harry whispered. "She couldn't…she wouldn't…"

"Yes," Riddle replied calmly.

"Why?"

"Because I told her to. Like I said, you can find me to be very, very persuasive. Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. She was…shall we say…in a kind of a trance. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries, far more interesting, they became. _'Dear Tom,'_" he recited, watching Harry's horrified face, _"'I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and 1 don't know how they got there.' 'Dear Tom, l can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front.' 'Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me...There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad... I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!_'" Tom continued and gave a laugh. "Still the power of the diary began to scare her." Riddle explained. "And after a little spat with this one…" Tom nudged Max slightly with his toe as though Max was nothing more than a nuisance. "She became more suspicious and she finally tried to dispose of it in the girl's bathroom. And then, who should find it…but you? The very person I was most anxious to meet."

"And why did you want to meet me?" Harry asked. Anger was coursing through him, and it was an effort to keep his voice steady.

"I knew I had to talk to you. Meet you if I could. You see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry," said Riddle. "Your whole fascinating history. " His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Harry's forehead. "So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust-"

"Hagrid's my friend." Harry interrupted, his voice now shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you?"

Riddle laughed his high laugh again. "It was my word against Hagrid's, Harry. Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dipper to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper."

"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said Harry, his teeth gritted and his smile wry.

"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," Riddle remarked. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. So I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well, you haven't finished it," said Harry triumphantly. "In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right again -"

"Haven't I already told you," Riddle asked quietly, "that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been -you."

Harry stared at him.

"And I was hoping to learn more about you. Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me again, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. _'What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters?_' So the foolish little brat waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back. But I knew what I must do. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery of Slytherin's Heir particularly if one of your best friends was attacked. So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. Along the way though, who would find her but the little girl you fashion as your sister. Two for the price of one. An even better trap for you. She struggled when she realized my intentions and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her. She put too much into the diary…into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last. And once she's gone her life will ensure that I can leave the pages forever." He said gesturing to Max.

"Over my dead body." Harry growled.

"But first I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter."

"Like what?" Harry spat, fists still clenched.

"Well," Riddle said, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent – managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?" Riddle spat and Harry glared.

"Why do you care how I escaped?" said Harry slowly. "Voldemort was after your time."

"Voldemort," said Riddle softly, a grin growing on his face. "Is my past, present, and future, Harry Potter." He pulled Harry's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:

_**TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**_

Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:

_**I AM LORD VOLDEMORT**_

"You…you're the Heir of Slytherin. You're Voldemort." Harry repeated softly.

"Surely you didn't think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name? No. I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!" Harry's brain seemed to have jammed.

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world. Not you." You're not," he said, his quiet voice full of hatred.

The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look.

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" he hissed. "He'll never be gone. Not as long as those who remain loyal to him!" Harry retorted. Riddle opened his mouth, but froze. Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Harry's scalp and made his heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Harry felt it vibrating inside his own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar. A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.

"Fawkes?" Harry breathed, as he stared at the phoenix. A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet. Harry looked at it and saw it was the Sorting Hat.

"So this is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now?"

Harry didn't answer. He might not see what use Fawkes or the Sorting Hat were, but he was no longer alone, and he waited for Riddle to stop laughing with his courage mounting.

"Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter."He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then walked away. Harry, fear spreading up his numb legs, watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed – but Harry understood what he was saying. "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four. " Harry wheeled around to look up at the statue. Horrorstruck, Harry saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.

And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth.

Something was slithering up from its depths. Harry backed away until he hit the dark Chamber wall, and as he shut his eyes tight he felt Fawkes' wing sweep his cheek as he took flight. Harry wanted to shout, "Don't leave me!" but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?

Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Harry felt it shudder - he knew what was happening, he could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. Then he heard Riddle's hissing voice: "Kill him. "

* * *

Well…this was definitely new, Moria observed as she hurried down the tunnel.

Granted the décor was doing little to help Moria's growing panic.

Especially the godforsaken skeletons.

"Professor!"

"Ron?" Moria called out jumping down into the chamber and spotted the redhead boy. Nearby was a wandering Lockhart, whistling a merry tune.

"…what the heck…"

"Obliviated himself."

"I thought you were just kidding." Moria remarked. She then looked at the opening to the other side. Ron didn't waste another moment and began to move more rocks.

"Ginny's on the other side with Harry. I'm trying to get a big enough space for them…for them to crawl back out."

"What do you want me to do to help?" She asked and Ron looked flabbergasted. "I can either stay here and try to move some more rocks, or I can go on the other side and assist Harry."

"How are you going to get on the other side? Apparate?"

"No. I'm an animagus." Moria explained. "Ron, you decide. Do I stay here or go ahead?"

"But you're…"

"I may be a teacher, but your sister is in there. Your needs get top priority."

"_And your son…Harry is in there too."_

Moria swallowed as Ron looked at the opening and then Moria.

"You should go through Professor. That way Harry has backup. He's…he's pretty clueless without help." Ron said weakly trying to make a joke. Moria smiled and bent down till she was Ron's level.

"We'll get Ginny back, Ron."

Ron nodded and then seconds later a scarred fox stood in front of him. Moria stretched and then bounced into the crevice. But it appeared to be much smaller than the two had anticipated, as she was midway when her back quarters grew stuck. And no amount of tugging forwards or backwards seemed to get her out. Ron looked around.

All there was around him was an obliviated professor. He gulped.

"Sorry Professor." He apologized then quickly as he could, lifted Moria's back half and gave a shove.

She let out an alarmed bark as she tumbled out of the crevice and landed onto the ground in a heap.

"Sorry Professor!" Ron squeaked out but Moria shook her head and transformed back into her human form.

"It's alright. Now keep working on the hole. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Ron nodded and she hurried away.

* * *

It was in slow motion. The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true as Harry threw his whole weight behind the sword that had come from the Sorting Hat and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth-But as warm blood drenched Harry's arms, he felt a searing pain just above his elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into his arm and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor.

Harry slid down the wall. He gripped the fang that was spreading poison through his body and wrenched it out of his arm. But he knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull color. He stumbled to where the two girls and Riddle were, falling to his knees.

"Remarkable isn't it?" He heard Riddle say in the haze of his head. He looked at Max and Ginny, his eyes slowly trailing to the diary in Ginny's arm. "How quickly the venom of the Basilisk penetrates the body."

He looked up and saw Riddle had an expression of sickening glee as he looked at the stricken boy.

"I guess you have a little more than a minute to live." Riddle cocked his head to the side. "You'll be with your dear mudblood mother soon, Harry."

Harry glared at him and then looked at Max and Ginny. He reached and gripped the pairs holding hands, and felt the chill of Ginny's skin under his numbing touch. Max's thumb however twitched.

"_Don't give up Harry…"_

He blinked, because he had to be imagining his sister's voice ringing through his head.

"_You're Harry James Potter, Harry…you can think of something to make sure he doesn't come. I know you can." _Her voice whispered sweetly into his head. _"You're my big brother, so you can fix things I screw up on."_

"Funny, the damage a silly little book can do." Riddle mocked, nudging Ginny's foot. "And how useless love of friends are when the book is in the hands of a silly little girl."

Harry looked up to glare then glanced back down at the diary.

"_You can do it Harry. It's alright." _Goaded by his sister's voice and wincing at the movement he grabbed and pulled the book out of Ginny's grasp, flipping it open.

"What are you doing?" Riddle asked, his voice suddenly changing as Harry grabbed the discarded basilisk fang. He then looked at Riddle, and the Slytherin boy realized what he was doing.

"Stop!" He called out, moving forward as Harry plunged the fang into the journal.

"NO!" Black ink suddenly began to seep out of the pages. Riddle jerked backwards and Harry looked up to see what looked like a hole tearing into the young man's chest. He gritted his teeth and pulled the fang out. Riddle moved forward again but Harry plunged the fang into the page next to the other, and more ink spilled out. Riddle's expression became pain-filled as light began to eat away at Riddle. Harry closed the book and for a third time, plunged the book; this time into the center of the leather cover. Riddle screamed, the sound echoing and bouncing over the walls, and with a blinding light Tom Riddle vanished.

Shaking all over, Harry pulled himself up. His head was spinning as though he'd just traveled miles by Floo powder. Slowly, he gathered together his wand and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the basilisk's mouth.

Then came a faint moan. Ginny was stirring. And then as though she had been revitalized as well, Max began to groggily sit up. As Harry crawled towards them, both finally sat up. He supposed in any other situation, he would have laughed as the their bemused eyes traveled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand. Max's face however turned pale and he was worried that she was going to pass out again. Ginny followed soon after and she drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face as she looked at both Max and Harry, guilt riddled on her face.

"It was me." She sobbed and Max looked at her in confusion, Harry not so much, granted he was in pain so he didn't really try to hard. "Riddle made me…"

"Riddle, who's Riddle?" Max asked and Harry shook his head as Ginny sobbed.

"I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy—it was me, but I—I s-swear I d-didn't mean to—R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over and then when he spotted you following us Max, h-he attacked made me attack you and—and-how did you kill that—that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r- remember is him coming out of the diary, and saying that after me i-it was going to be Max and-and!" Suddenly she gasped looking at Harry's arm. Max followed her gaze and her face became a sickly color.

"Harry! You're hurt!" Max exclaimed, crawling over to him.

Faintly Harry thought he heard his mother…well both his mother's voices calling out to him. He didn't know which was real and which was not, and he didn't know who to follow at this point, but getting both girls out was top priority.

"Don't worry." He forced out. "Max, Ginny, listen to me." He ordered, but Max was already shaking her head. "You need to get yourselves out."

"No." Max replied weakly, wincing as she pushed her hair back.

"Follow the chamber, and you'll find Ron."

"No, Harry we aren't leaving you." Ginny whispered just as fervently. He was growing desperate. He didn't want his sister and their friend to watch him die.

A patch of scarlet swam past, and Harry heard a soft clatter of claws beside him.

"Fawkes," said Harry thickly. "You were brilliant, Fawkes…I just wasn't quick enough."

Moria's voice was now growing in its echoed and he was hallucinating that Max and Ginny's heads turned towards the sound.

He felt the bird lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced him and he almost smiled at Max's gaping face. But Harry blinked. Fawke's head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers.

Harry felt drowsy. Everything around him seemed to be spinning.

Even the pain was leaving him...But was this dying? Instead of going black, the Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus. Harry gave his head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on Harry's arm. Ginny now staring at him in wonder as Max stood, grabbing the wand that was in her pocket as footsteps grew louder A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound, except that there was no wound. He then remembered and he finally grinned, tugging on Max's hand as he struggled to stand.

"Of course. Phoenix tears, they have healing powers." He said and Ginny looked relieved.

"It's all right," said Harry, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole, as tears began to bubble into the corner of her eyes. "Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, let's get out of here-"

"HARRY!"

Alright, now he _knew_ he wasn't hallucinating and looked up to see Moria jumping down the last few steps into the chamber and hurried to them, her eyes wide, and her expression a mixture of fear and confusion.

When she spotted Max and Ginny there was relief for about an instant and then she spotted the Basilisk.

He had to admit, he was quite sure that he was probably the only one to make her appear as though she would drop into a dead faint at the sight of the large snake.

"What are you doing here Max!? Harry, why is there a basilisk here?! What in the bloody hell is going on!?"

"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as Harry helped her awkwardly to her feet, looking at Moria pleadingly. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and—and, oh w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"

"Oh Ginny, sshhh…you're not going to be expelled, I promise." Moria attempted to soothe, impressing her children with the complete 180 of personality. "I promise."

The girl did not seem all that persuaded, but her sobbing did get quieter. Moria looked at her children and sighed.

"Let's get out of here. I'll ask for explanations later." She said and they nodded. They went to where Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. He then flew over and landed on Moria's shoulder who glanced at the bird. It seemed to be saying _'I had everything perfectly under control'_. Moria chanced a glance back and shuddered at the large snake before she urged all three children forward, stepping over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. Under control indeed.

After a few minutes' progress up the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Harry's ears.

"Ron!" Harry yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!"

He heard Ron give a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to make in the rock fall. He blinked in surprise at the sight of Max though who just shook her head, not wanting to talk about it.

"Ginny!" Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? Max, what are you doing here?!"

"Long story." She replied simply and he noticed the phoenix resting on Moria's shoulder.

"How-what…where did that bird come from?"

Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny and Moria changed into her fox form and jumped through thankfully not having a repeat of the last time.

"He's Dumbledore's," said Harry, squeezing through himself

"How come you've got a sword?" said Ron, gaping at the glittering weapon in Harry's hand.

"I'll explain when we get out of here," said Harry with a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever.

"You better." Moria grumbled.

"But-"

"Later," Harry said shortly. He didn't think it was a good idea to tell Ron yet who'd been opening the Chamber, not in front of Ginny, anyway. "Where's Lockhart?"

"Back there," Ron replied, still looking puzzled but jerking his head up the tunnel toward the pipe.

Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.

"His memory's still gone," said Ron. "Still hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I even asked him about Professor Black and he had no clue who she was. Told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."

Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all.

Harry bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe. "Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" he said to Ron. Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. Harry looked uncertainly at him.

"He looks like he wants you to grab hold…" said Ron, looking perplexed. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there -"

"Fawkes," said Harry, "isn't an ordinary bird. He can carry up to four people." He turned quickly to the others.

"But there are six of us…" Ron said and Moria shook her head.

"I'll deal with getting Lockhart and me up." She said. "You four let Fawkes carry you and we'll worry about everything once we get back to the school."

Harry tucked the sword and the Sorting Hat into his belt, Ron took hold of the back of Harry's robes, and Harry reached out and took hold of Fawkes's strangely hot tail feathers. Max and Ginny clung onto one another and then an extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through their whole bodies and the next second, in a rush of wings; they were flying upward through the pipe.

Moria glanced at Lockhart who was humming a chipper tune to himself, looking around in interest at the stalagmites and stalactites.

"So…you tried to use a memory charm on my son and his friend?" She asked pleasantly and he chuckled.

"Hm…did I? Well I suppose I likely di-"

He didn't finish his sentence as Moria was finally able to do what she had wanted to do since the school year had started.

Harry and the others didn't even ask why when Moria and Lockhart finally came up from the tunnel that the obliviated professor was sporting a black eye.

* * *

Remus was now pacing as Pomfrey continued giving each of the petrified victims their Mandrake juice. He had essentially booted out of the fake wall, to give the victims their privacy, which he well did understand.

But that was his son beyond the wall too.

"Now move your fingers for my Mr. Lupin, that's good. Easy, Mr. Lupin, It will feel a little bit strange getting all your movement back, so don't stress it too-"

That was it.

Rules be damned, Remus hurriedly went around the curtain and strode to his son, earning a quick glare from the head healer, but he only locked eyes with his son, who was scratching the back of his head slowly, his expression extremely tired. But he spotted Remus just as quickly and, he gave his characteristic grin that Remus hadn't seen in 6 months.

"Dad-"

Geoffrey's call was cut off as Remus grabbed him and pulled him into a hug, crushing his face into his chest. Geoffrey patted his hand, trying to be a comfort.

"You're alright?" Remus asked hoarsely and Geoffrey gave a dry cough.

"Yeah…granted, I'm being smothered to death at the moment." He remarked and Remus sighed, ignoring the coos and aw's from the girls in the room.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, you hear? You took a decade off of my life when Moria came in and said you were petrified.

"I'll do my best." Geoffrey grumbled, resting his cheek on his father's chest. "Granted, remember that you gave George, Fred, Lee, and me the nickname Neo Marauders for a reason."

Remus laughed, smoothing out his son's hair. They all glanced up when they heard the door open and footsteps enter. Pomfrey moved the curtain to see who it was, and gave a short shriek. Remus's heart plummeted. There couldn't have been another attack-

But no, it wasn't. However Remus had about another five years taken off of his lifespan as he spotted Ginny and Max both being coddled by Arthur and Molly, bruised, bleeding, Max leaning onto Arthur and both looking as though they had gone against a sludge monster.

…Maybe he would have to reconsider what nickname went to whom.

* * *

Moria sighed as she looked at Harry later on, glancing at the tear in his sleeve as he looked at the stained and destroyed diary. Dumbledore was talking to Malfoy at the moment, with Dobby in there as well. The look that he had given Harry when the house-elf walked in was enough proof for her that Malfoy had been involved in it somehow. But she had been quickly escorted out along with Harry. Every single word that Harry had said had felt like a blow to the heart, and likely had caused her to lose a year of her life. She looked at him and sighed, ruffling his hair.

"When I said use the mirror, Harry…I mean for you to use _before_ you go getting into perilous danger. Not after. You shouldn't have to keep doing this."

"I had to Mum. There was no time, and Ginny would have died if we had waited too much longer. And then Voldemort would have killed Max, and-"

"Harry, I didn't say I wasn't proud that you risked your life to save your friend and, unbeknownst at the time your sister. What I said was, that you shouldn't have to. We're here for a reason, _**especially**_ me Harry, and that means you can come to me if you need help."

"If it's any consolation, we did go to a professor this time." He chirped hopefully and Moria sighed in aggravation.

"You went to a now obliviated moron. Who apparently Dumbledore had known that he was a fraud, just couldn't prove it!" She whispered and he grinned. She groaned, rubbing her face.

"I don't know what's going to kill me first. You giving me a heart attack, or your mother sending a bolt of lightning down at me for the amount of danger you get yourself in under my watch." She grumbled. Harry didn't have time to respond as the doorway to Dumbledore's office opened and Dobby came falling out, squealing in pain. Malfoy followed soon after, a look of rage on his normally calm and collected face. Moria glared as the pair continued down the hall. She wanted to do something, but unless Malfoy didn't give a piece of clothing to him, she couldn't-

She saw Harry's expression light up and within seconds he took off one of his shoes, pulled off his slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed it into the diary. Then he ran down the dark corridor. He caught up with them at the top of the stairs.

"Mr. Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt. "Mr. Malfoy! I have something of yors."

And he forced the destroyed diary into Lucius Malfoy's hand. Malfoy looked at it and sneered, before looking at the boy.

"Mine? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh I think you do, sir." Harry grumbled as Dobby whimpered. Moria stood back a little ways, letting Harry speak. It seemed he was jumping at the chance.

"You must take after your godmother more than anyone realizes." Malfoy remarked, glaring at Moria who shrugged. "She always had a knack…of seeing things that weren't there."

"I think you slipped the diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron, that day at Diagon Alley."

"You do, do you?" Malfoy scoffed and jerked the diary into Dobby's hands. He then walked towards Harry but stopped at the glare from Moria. "Why don't you prove it?" He hissed out and then turned to go.

"Come Dobby."

Dobby made a move to go, but stopped as Harry looked at him.

"Open it." He whispered.

Confused, the house elf did so. He then gaped as the pages fell open and there right in the fold…

Was Harry's sock.

Moria smiled. Always clever.

"Dobby!" Malfoy called out to.

"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment.

"What?" Malfoy remarked turning. "I didn't g-" he froze and Moria smirked triumphantly.

"Master has presented Dobby with clothes." Dobby breathed, clutching the sock like it was a precious treasure. "Dobby is free."

Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf before glancing at Harry who lifted up his trouser leg to show a bare ankle. Then he lunged at Harry.

"You've lost me my servant, boy!"

But Dobby shouted. "You shall not harm Harry Potter!" And dove in front of Harry

Moria moved forward and Harry sensed before he heard and ducked. A light shot out past him as well as another light in front of him.

Lucius Malfoy was thrown backwards from both Moria and Dobby's spell. Moria lowered her wand, his wand resting at her foot. She then smirked at Lucius.

"Well Lucius. It looks like you just lost your position for being Hogwarts School Governor." She remarked, kicking his wand to him though it rolled several feet farther. He struggled to stand and turned to see Snape and several other students and teachers standing there. He frowned, glaring at Moria.

"You'll be lucky if I don't charge you with attempted assault."

"Like you could get that to stick, you harpy." He hissed out, and Moria kept silent. "His parents were meddlesome fools too." He warned and Moria's glare narrowed. "Mark my words Black." He hissed out, walking towards her, stopping when she raised her wand again, pressing it into his chest. "Someday soon, he will meet the same sticky end."

"Over my dead body." Moria remarked and he chuckled though there was no humor in it. Just malice.

"We'll see." He snarled and with that turned around storming away. She glanced at Snape whose expression was just as cold as ever, but the students were whispering and Professor Sprout was saying something along the lines of going to talk to Dumbledore as they ushered the students away.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at Harry, the light reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Harry Potter set Dobby free!"

"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning.

"How can Dobby ever repay him?"

"Just promise me something."

"Anything, sir." Dobby said as Moria turned around, curiosity on her face. Harry smiled

"Never to try and save my life again."

Dobby laughed and then threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged him.

"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter!"

And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.

* * *

Max winced as she touched the bandage on the side of her head. Apparently she had gotten a pretty severe head concussion as a result of flying into the bathroom wall, and then subsequently being dragged by Ginny down the Chamber. Coupled with likely a spell or of such that had been casted by this Riddle person that had kept her out of it and Pomfrey had said she would be stuck in the bed for the night. Which _sucked_ because now that everyone had been freed from the petrification, she was going to be all alone. She glanced at Ginny, who was staring at her knees. Molly had gone to go get some new clothes from home for the girl as she needed something to wear, and Molly had felt that an outfit from home would be better than something from the tower. She swallowed and then cleared her throat.

"So…how are you feeling?" Max asked as she got up and limped to Ginny's bedside, sitting down next to her. They would thankfully both be allowed to go to the feast, before it was off to the hospital wing again for Max.

"…alright…I suppose." Ginny murmured in reply. The two sat in awkward silence again but as Max floundered on what to say, Ginny suddenly burst into tears, startling the other girl.

"I'M SO SORRY!"

"You-you're sorry? For what?" Max asked flabbergasted.

"F-for everything! For how I've been acting, hitting Merlin, dragging you down into the Chamber-"

"Now Ginny, none of that was your fault. It was that Riddle person in your diary. He was manipulating your emotions." Max reminded her easily as Ginny sobbed. "I can't well blame you now for it, can I?"

"Others would."

"Well I'm not other people." Max reminded gently with a smile. But Ginny didn't seem to acknowledge that.

"What does my mum always say that my dad is?"  
"Hot headed? Impatient? Loud?" Ginny suggested sniffling.  
Max was quiet for a brief moment.

"...I was more referring to him being loyal. And I like to think that I gained that trait from him." She replied with a smile. "And that means that through good and bad, I want to be your friend. So…"

Ginny stared at her in shock as Max's smile grew.

"Will you be my friend again?"

Ginny opened her mouth but was abruptly cut off by the door opening and footsteps echoing in the hall.

"Max!"

The said girl looked up from her spot, before three other girls, Charlotte, Nysa, and Luna, the latter of the three holding onto Charlotte's wrist, tackled her.

"Oh we were so worried!" Charlotte implored.

"I was worried a MouthTooth had caught you!" Luna expressed her own concern as Max laughed.

"No, no…I'm fine really. Just a headache."

"Good." Nysa remarked. She then saw Max's gaze shift over to the redhead, who seemed to suddenly shrink and seem all alone in her bed.

"Weasley, right?" She asked and Ginny jumped a bit.

"Um…y…yes…." She stammered out.

"I have a question for you."

Ginny seemed to stiffen, prepared to have a snide comment.

"…what is it like having 6 brothers?"

That…she wasn't expecting that.

"I…pardon?"

"Well, I'm just saying, I only have one older brother and a younger brother, and they make me want to climb up a wall. And I don't even live in the same roof as them. But you're stuck with _four _of them still living at your house. How do you do it?"

Ginny blinked several times, glancing at Max who was grinning and nodding. Then slowly Ginny nodded and then laughed.

"Patience and a good set of ear plugs."

Nysa grinned at that and plopped down next to the redhead.

"Then you'll do just fine with us. With Max's comments about you, we were already hoping you'd be friends with this weird group of ours."

Max flushed and sputtered in indignation. Unnoticed by the group were three parents all smiling as their daughters conversed with their friends.

"Well, I have to say…I'm so glad that they met one another." Moria commented and Molly laughed, wiping her eyes.

"I agree."

Moria sighed, resting against the door.

Another year done.

She wondered what lay ahead.


	9. ESCAPING

"So you two hear anything from the Weasley's?" Moria asked as she and Kreacher made breakfast.

"No. Well other than the letter that Errol brought

"How is he? Poor thing seems to be exhausted."

"No wonder." Max said cooing at the owl that was still lying on the nearby chair, wrapped in a warm towel. "The poor thing went from Egypt, and somehow managed to get lost in a storm. It's a miracle he actually made it."

"True. Guess that explains why Hermes and Hedwig flew out in that weather. Did you two sense he needed help?" Moria teased, running a finger over the screech owl's feathers. The bird ruffled against her shoulder and she smiled as she opened the window and let him fly out to the nesting area that he and Hedwig shared.

"Ron says hi, said that Percy is Head Boy."

"Joy." Max grumbled, snagging a piece of toast.

"Agreed."

"Now you two, he is a very responsible young man, it's not a surprise that he is Head Boy."

"It'd be fine and all if he didn't let that get to his head. But we know he will." Max remarked dryly. "He's already sent us a separate letter saying that he's Head Boy and expects us to be on our best behavior." Moria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"He's just excited."

"I know." Max remarked. "But I don't see why he sent us the letter. It's not like we go looking for trouble. Trouble…"

"Always finds us." The entire family finished at the same time. Max continued looking at the letter and smirked.

"Ginny says hi to you Harry, and is hoping that you've had a wonderful birthday and wished she could have been here to help celebrate it."

Moria glanced back and saw that Harry's face had suddenly turned a shade of red that she had never witnessed on him. Her brow rose and she smiled, glancing at her daughter who was smiling almost wickedly at Harry.

How interesting. _Very_ interesting.

"Anything else?" Moria asked to save Harry from further embarrassment.

"Well they told us to look at the Daily Prophet used for their article about Mr. Weasley getting that bonus. And Ron sent us the shot he got early." Max remarked holding up the image. Sure enough there was the _**entire **_family with Arthur and Molly, Percy, Bill and Charlie were in the back, while Ron, Ginny and the twins sat on the sand in the front with Scabbers, the rat, on Ron's shoulder.

"Nice." Moria responded with a smile before looking up when she heard the phone upstairs ring, which was strange as there were few places that knew that phone number.

She went upstairs to go answer leaving the pair of kids alone.

"So, what is with you writing letters to Ginny?"

"I'm just making sure she's feeling better." Harry mumbled. "She's my friend too, you know."

"Uh-huh. I think you have a crush on her."

"Oh come on."

"You and her have something in common that no one else has Harry. She and you went against Voldemort and _lived_. There's going to be some things that you two, and only you two would understand."

"Max, she's…she's just a friend."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Max remarked.

"…I understand. Yes, thank you. I'll think about it." They heard Moria comment and glanced at each other. A few minutes later Moria came downstairs.

"Who was that?"

"No one important." Moria remarked absently. "Anyway, let's go out today."

* * *

"Sure! I mean it is his birthday." Max teased earning a glare from Harry. The pair continued to eat their breakfast as Moria stared out the kitchen window, lost in her own thoughts only chancing a glance at the image of the Weasley's picture one lst time.  
Unaware of what the photo would bring. No one…not Harry, not Max, especially Moria would have expected what single photo would to do.  
For it would convince a certain prisoner to escape.

It was cold.

And dark.

But he wasn't scared.

It had been so long he didn't know the feeling of not being scared that it wasn't a gnawing panic anymore. Surrounded by angry oceans, on a small island in the North Sea, a triangular prison stood in the ocean, dark clouds surrounded it, squelching the feeling of hope. Dark shadowed figures flitted around the statuesque building.

Dementors.

They were humanoid shaped creatures, approximately three meters high, and were covered in dark hooded cloaks of long, ripped black cloth. No one saw their bodies or their faces but they didn't need to. They always flitted around the building where whispers and moans of the damned and the insane echoed throughout the halls feeding off their misery.  
Sirius Black was one of them.

Sometimes would wish that he could become like the rest of the prisoners in Azkaban and just lose his mind.

"_But you won't, will you?"_

He closed his eyes as Moria's voice echoed throughout his head. He didn't belong there, and no matter what the Dementors did, the notion of his innocence kept his sanity intact.

Well mostly.

"_You're stronger than that…besides you know what they don't."_

Her voice teased in the back of his head and he curled up further, looking around the walls of his cell, not really moving that much. She stayed in his mind, so vivid he could still feel her touch, hear her laugh, every now and then feel her light breath on his neck when she would be asleep next to him. She spoke to him in some ways, small chats. He supposed he was insane…or this was some punishment. Punishment that he couldn't save her. No matter how much he regretted it, those memories stayed with him. Haunted him at some points, but they stayed with him. Moria's memory stayed with him whenever he needed it, and just as she had been stubborn in life, it seemed not even the Dementors could take her presence away from him.

He absently rubbed his left ring finger, the feeling of his ring still there even though they hadn't even left him the dignity of keeping his wedding band.

_"Probably worried I would try to choke on it and they would lose someone they could blame for James and Lily's death."_ He thought absently. Then, he heard a voice-not the whispers he had grown used to, but a real voice.

"Bloody inspections." He heard and Sirius checked on the scratches he had made on the wall to track as the months passed, though he had long gave up on tracking them as he had been there for years. So, he used the moon to count the months. If he had done it right, it was probably July or August, around the time Fudge came around to do the inspections to the prison.

At the thought of August, his heart tore a bit and he forced that thought away as he moved to look out into the hall through the bars of his cell.

The steps came closer and closer and the voices got louder and it became clear there was more than one person. Apparently Fudge had a couple of aurors with him. Not that surprising. He always did. But for all it was worth, even though Sirius hated Fudge, inspection days were good because the Dementors didn't get so close; they had orders not to harass the minister, and they at least kept that order.

And then, Fudge came into view: a portly little man, with rumpled grey hair wearing his recognizable, rather bizarre dress style: a pinstriped suit, scarlet tie, long black travelling cloak, pointed purple boots, and lime green bowler hat. He remembered that Moria had met him once when she had gone to bring him lunch. From the looks of it, Moria had made the moron scared shitless.

"Minister Fudge." Sirius said in a bored tone, crossing his arms and staring out at the hall.

Fudge looked at him surprised and grasped the newspaper in his hand, and Sirius couldn't help but feel amused. It was probably the shock that he actually spoke to him coherently. There weren't many prisoners in like that in Azkaban.

"Black. How… how are you doing?" he stammered out.

"Same as always," he replied with sarcasm and looked at the newspaper. "Are you going to need that?" he asked pointing to the paper. "Miss doing the crosswords." He said plainly.

"What? Oh…er…the newspaper?" the minister asked.

Sirius shrugged. "Alright," Fudge said, slipping the folded newspaper though the bars, rather reluctantly. "Have fun."

"Yeah, a bloody blast," he replied sarcastically as the man left.

He unfolded the paper and, first of all, read the date: July 25th, 1993. He made the math in his head and concluded that, as he had been arrested on October 31st, 1981 in a few months, would be twelve years. So long…

Shaking the thought out of his head, Sirius returned his attention to the headline of the newspaper: **MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE.**

_"Slow day."_ He concluded. Under the headline was a moving black and white picture with a family waving. They looked so happy and he could see the daughter who sat there in the middle would have been around Max's—!

Sirius straightened up, staring at the creature sitting on the boy's shoulder. Dumbfounded

But for only a second before rage took over. To many the rat on the boy's shoulder would seem to be only a common rat. But not to him. He had seen Peter Pettigrew too many times in his Animagus form not to recognize him. He wasn't dead…He wasn't dead!

_"Not for long."_ Sirius thought angrily.

The decision was suddenly made. It was time. He had been wondering for a few weeks if the Dementors would notice him escaping in his dog form.

It was time to test that theory.

* * *

"Could life suck any more?"

"I know it sucks, kiddo." Moria apologized looking at Harry. "At least you didn't have to spend your birthday with these buffoons."

"And we can see Ryan." Max added.

"True." Harry conceded. Though Harry wondered what Dumbledore had said _this_ time to get the Dursley's to let them stay. What with the whole car fiasco the summer before, it had been a surprise that they had said yes. Maybe a spell?

"Please you two be good, alright?" Moria asked.

"We'll try our best. But it's the Dursley's."

"I know…I know…I owe you both something big, trust me I'm aware." Moria remarked dryly.

"Are you okay Mum?" Max asked suddenly, her brow furrowing. "You've been pretty quiet since yesterday."

"I'm fine…just…I'm fine." She replied forcing a smile. Max and Harry both glanced at one another but before they could say anything the door to the Dursley's home opened and Ryan came running out, squealing happily at Max and Harry. Petunia stood at the doorway glaring.

"What are you doing standing out there?! What would the neighbors say?"

"Well, considering we aren't that welcome _in_…" Moria started but Petunia huffed.

"Well now they're dropped off."

"Right." Moria remarked glancing at her children before sighing loudly wanting to do nothing more than to crawl back into bed.

* * *

Well that had been a rough night on Ryan's floor. He didn't know how, but somehow he had managed to find every single Lego that the kid had owned wedged into the plush carpet and that it found refuge in Harry's back. Max hadn't slept that well either, but when he woke up the next morning he found her sound asleep so he decided to let her catch a few more moments of sleep and slipped quietly out of the room. Cracking his back, Harry went down to breakfast and saw Dudley sitting at the table watching a brand-new television, an apparent welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley. A nice gift, but Harry still thought that if Dudley had gotten that, Ryan deserved something better than an action figure. He helped himself to a piece of toast and then looked up at the reporter on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict:

_"...The public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."_

Strange, but there were probably other Black's in London, especially muggle ones.

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!" He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair was an apparent source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle of hair, Harry felt as though his hair was winning the lottery. Though it was strange, as Harry looked at the image, he couldn't help but feel as though there was something familiar with the image.

However before he could make a solid connection, the reporter had reappeared.

_"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today -"_

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"

"When will they learn?" Uncle Vernon bellowed, pounding the table with his large purple fist. "That hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"

"Very true," Aunt Petunia remarked. Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."

Harry blinked.

"Marge? Whose Marge?"

"My sister."

"Great." Harry grumbled under his breath.

"Marge'll be here for a week, and if we had had a choice you and that brat wouldn't be here this week." Uncle Vernon snarled. "But while we're on the subject we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."

Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was apparently Dudley's favorite form of entertainment.

"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."

"Fat chance." said Harry bitterly, "That will happen only if she does the same when she's talking to me and Max."

"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your abnormality, I don't want any funny stuff while she's here. And thirdly." Uncle Vernon glared at him. "We've told Marge you and that girl attend St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys and Girls."

"Wait, what?!"

"And you'll stick to that story, you and that brat."

"Why would I do that?!" Harry snapped.

"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, boy!"

"I don't have to do anything you make me or Max lie to you." Harry argued back. "Besides, knocking the stuffing out of me won't make this Marge forget what I could tell her," he said grimly and Vernon froze. "Not to mention my godmother would make you regret it."

"So what do you want boy?"

Harry froze. Moria had said that she wanted them both to behave, and if they did she would sign his permission form to Hogsmeade.

"You tell my godmother I behaved, and I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug - like I'm normal and everything."

Harry could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple.

"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behavior carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll tell your ruddy godmother that you were fine."

He wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out. Harry didn't return to the kitchen. He went back upstairs to Ryan's bedroom. Max was sitting up, rubbing her eyes.

"Already get in trouble?"

"No. Our week is going to suck."

"Why?"

"Vernon's sister is coming to visit, and we have to act like Muggles."

Max stared at him and then fell backwards onto her pillow, groaning.

"Mum owes us BIG!"

"Yeah. That she does." Harry grumbled. But neither had a long time to brood. In no time, Petunia was calling for them to come down and get ready to welcome their guest.

All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path.

"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Harry. A feeling of great gloom in his stomach, Harry pulled the door open.

On the threshold stood this Marge and Harry nearly gagged. She was very like Uncle Vernon: large, beefy, and purple- faced, she even had a mustache, though not as bushy as his. In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered looking bulldog.

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy-poo?"

Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.

"Hiya Aunt Marge." Ryan stated politely from beyond Petunia's knees, but Marge ignored him.

"Petunia!" shouted Marge, striding past Harry as though he was a hat stand and Max grunted as Marge threw her jacket on the girl. Harry looked at Max who was glaring at her as Uncle Vernon came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door.

"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Marge as they all proceeded into the kitchen.

"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."

Harry rolled his eyes at the comment but suddenly heard Max making the strangest sound ever to come from her, which was saying a lot. He looked at where she was standing politely, and could see that Max's face had turned a bright shade of red and she was trying her hardest to keep her smile on her face but it looked like a painful grimace. Glancing down, he quickly saw why.

It seemed that Ripper was far from pining over not seeing his 'beloved' master. In fact he had taken quite the liking to Max.

So much in fact he was currently humping Max's leg.

Max tried to shake off the bulldog from her leg, but it seemed that the dog was set on keeping firm on it. When Harry tried to nudge him away, Ripper growled, gaining Marge's attention.

"So!" she barked. "You're Petunia's nephew? And you're his little friend?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Yes." Max said, her face still red, but now grateful as the dog left her leg.

"Don't you say yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia had the kindness to let you come and visit. Especially with this little runt tagalong." She muttered gesturing to Max. "Wouldn't have done it myself."

Harry was bursting to say that he'd have rather lived in an orphanage than with any of his family, but he kept quiet. Instead he forced his face into a painful smile.

"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. "I hoped school would knock some manners into you." She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her mustache, and said, "Where is it that they go to, again, Vernon?"

"St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

Harry saw Max glare at him from the corner of his eye and he gave a slight tap on the hand.

"_Sorry."_

She tapped back.

"_It's okay, you're not related to her in any blood related way."_

"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"

The group turned and went further away and Harry sighed and Max's expression finally vanished to one of disgust.

"Ewewewewewewew…" Max kept saying, hopping on her one leg. "If I have to be around that dog one more time, I'm going to kick it through a window!"

"Maybe…who knows, she can't be as bad as the other Dursley's."

* * *

Sirius grunted as he stumbled down an embankment, his vision blurry, exhausted from the swim to shore. He crashed down the hill, hitting rocks and twigs before landing at the bottom. He gritted his teeth in pain, the world spinning as he just laid there on the ground the world spinning as pain swirled through him.

"_**What will you do now?"**_

Sirius looked up, sitting up quickly as he did so, and instantly regretted it. He looked behind him, clutching his stomach, staring at the figures that stood there. They were translucent, and even though it had been nearly 12 years, he would recognize the pair that stood in front of him. But it wasn't James and Lily as he had expected his mad mind to project.

No, It was Moria's parents, never having aged a day from the pictures that their daughter had kept. They stared at him, non-accusatory eyes, which still seemed to burrow deep into him. He opened his mouth and closed it several times. Mable spoke first.

"_**What will you do now Sirius Black? Your fate has parted into two different paths."**_ She said in a monotone voice. He blinked and his brow furrowed.

"What are you talking about?" My path is the same." He snapped.

"_**Will you stop at nothing to gain your vengeance?"**_ Maarten asked as Sirius limped past them. _**"Even to forget the man you once were?"**_

"The man I once was was destroyed by being in that prison! Because the creature that destroyed it managed to escape justice!" He snapped looking at the visions ignoring the fact he was probably imagining them. Mable looked at him with soft eyes.

"_**Hatred only spawns more hatred. A never-ending cycle that in the end offers no winnings. You have earned your freedom, but at what cost are you willing to forget yourself?"**_

"You should be urging me to finish him off!" Sirius snapped. "Because of **him,** your daughter and granddaughter were murdered!"

"_**Would Moria want you to do this?"**_

"I wouldn't know." Sirius replied softly, in pain. "But she wouldn't want me to let Harry be in danger because of Pettigrew. She would want something done."

"_**Moria knows many things, Sirius."**_Maarten said. **"**_**Nothing can deny this. But Moria is different. Moria would condone murder for protection. But not for vengeance. Which did you free yourself for?"**_

Sirius was silent, contemplating.

"_**Moria has always understood that paths of fate swing in both directions. She has lived through both sides of fate. Childhood and innocence was lost, she has always hidden her emotions behind a door with a lock and key. When we died…her world shattered, like she told you she had never really been off by herself and here she was completely alone. During our wake, a few of my friends…friends that had never been too keen about me marrying Mable just let loose of their grief on her. Said something along the lines that question Moria's paternity."**_

Sirius looked at Maarten and Mable again.

"_**They said something along the lines 'She doesn't remotely resemble Maarten.' 'Maybe she's some other man's child.' 'Her looking like that won't make up for the damage that has been done.' And so forth. I suppose they assumed that she wouldn't understand what they were saying as she was only a child. How foolish of my friends to assume that."**_ Maarten said with a bitter smile on his face. **"**_**Children are remarkably capable of understanding what adult's say, especially when it's based on love or cruelty. It worried her. I think it was natural. We were both dead and she was going through all these changes that no child should go through. Moria had to be worried."**_ He said and then tapped his forehead.

"_**Most likely running through her mind was that she needed to act like me. I always tended to hide my feelings of anger, despair, and fear so I wouldn't worry anyone. She had seen me like that. So she pushed those emotions away and tried to hide. And then she moved to Malcolm's place. She walked through her fate because of events that she had no control over."**_

"…Why are you telling me this?" Sirius murmured and Mable smiled.

"_**Because that smile that you see every day in your dreams, that smile that makes you feel as though the whole world was once happy…is the same smile that Maarten and I saw every day for five years. Now it's only you who can make her smile like**__**that."**_ Mable said and Sirius's face turned bright red and he turned away. Mable looked at him.

"_**We cannot change what you decide. We do not deny that Pettigrew needs to be brought to justice for his actions. But remember that the man you once were remains inside you. And Moria would not want you to lose that self. But the decision is yours, and yours alone. And we will remain to guide you down whatever path you choose."**_

He turned again and saw that he was alone now. He frowned and then stood completely, stumbling before pausing.

There was one other thing he needed to see before he went hunting for the traitorous rat.

* * *

Moria exhaled as she left the pair rubbing her temple, unsure as to why she felt horrible. She never had a headache this bad unless it was for a reason. But then again that phone call a few days ago had basically drained her.

Malcolm Prescott was dead.

Apparently he had been found in the alleyway next to his favorite pub, the victim of a heart attack. Really it wasn't that surprising given his lifestyle with the drugs, booze, and cigarettes that he had taken pretty much his entire life. Plus with all the so-called stress he had had in his life, premature death was imminent.

No, that hadn't been what drained her.

It had to more do with the emotions that were flooding through her that she didn't quite understand.

Of course there was relief. Malcolm wouldn't ever bother her or be a threat to her family. But there was also sadness, anger, and grief.

She wanted to tear something apart, destroy it, tear it down so she would never look at it again, but she also just wanted to curl up into some corner and never leave. And she didn't _get_ it.

It was though everything she felt was raw and frayed nerves. And she didn't even know _why_ she was answering the godforsaken phone call's order. She had no reason to go.

Yet there she was at the funeral…sort of.

She glanced up at the church that had once probably had a glorious reputation, but now was aged and decayed from being left alone. The way she had remembered it, these few blocks everyone in London ignored. They were the riff-raff and would kill off one another. In other words, the higher class of London didn't need to deal with. The church had been a symbol of entering the worst of the worst, where even authority had given up on it. She had entered the church only briefly; taking a look around and was surprised that people had actually shown up for Malcolm's funeral. She however had walked away before it had actually begun, unable, or rather unwilling to stay and listen to people lie and say he was a good man who had made a mistake and now stood just outside the church, watching from a distance as pallbearers took the casket towards the graveyard behind the church. Moria glanced away, looking around the streets.

Everything had changed.

There wasn't trash anymore, and there weren't the exuberant amount of homeless sitting on corners and crowding the alleyways where she had walked through as an 8 year old. There were new shops, colorful with new layers of paint.

It actually looked like a normal street, not what she had seen nearly 25 years ago.

"Moria Black?"

She jumped and spun around, only to see a frail looking priest standing there, leaning heavily on a cane. She exhaled shakily.

"Yes, that's me."

"Ah I remember you. You were the little girl that always would wander in during the soup kitchen." He remarked with a smile, though Moria swallowed. Yeah, it wasn't like she hadn't known that schedule by heart. It would be the only time she'd get a good decent meal. And calling the broth and the dried bread, sometimes a stale peanut butter sandwich a meal was pushing it. "Malcolm's niece?"

"I…yes…" Moria managed, her throat suddenly tight, her body feeling hot and as though she wasn't supposed to be here.

"I see. Such a tragedy."

Moria kept quiet at that comment, but blinked as he held up a key and an envelope.

"Your uncle became quite the church member 10 years ago and he and I spoke much. That's how I knew your married name. He said if he ever was to die early was to give any of his kin these."

Moria opened her mouth to reject it, yet curiosity begged to know and numbly she took the key. The moment she felt the weight in her hand, her heart twisted and she didn't have to look at the envelope to know what was in it.

"I…thanks…" She said giving a slight nod to the head before briskly walking away. Why the hell did he want to give the family his apartment? One last 'fuck you' to showcase what he had done in closed doors.

"Mrs. Black?"

"I don't want to talk, alright?" She grumbled rubbing her temple to try and ease the headache.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice Ma'am."

"Look, what part of I want to be left alone, do you not understand?" She angrily asked turning around, but blinked in surprise as several wizards stood there.

"…what's going on? I haven't used magic that would have warranted a break in any law." She muttered angrily.

"It is not that."

"Then what? Look, can we do this another time? I'm-"

"Your husband Sirius Black has been discovered to have escaped Azkaban. The Minister wants to discuss your involvement in his escape. Now come along willingly, Mrs. Black, or we will have to use force."

Moria stared at them and the urge she had had earlier that morning to not leave bed came back full force.


	10. THE GRIM SIGHTING

Clearly, Harry couldn't have been any more wrong. As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Harry caught himself thinking almost longingly of a week at number four without her. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged Harry to stay out of their way, which Harry was only too happy to do. Aunt Marge, on the other hand, wanted Harry under her eye at all times, so that she could boom out suggestions for his improvement.

"Now look at my Dudders, filled out and healthy!" She exclaimed.

"What about Ryan?" Max remarked.

"What about him?" She sniffed.

"Well he's your nephew too." She offered as she saw Ryan stare dejectedly at a picture they were working on, nibbling on his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Harry was frowning as well. Marge however huffed.

"What are you, his mother?" She remarked snidely. "You have no manners."

"Funny, I think it's you that doesn't." Max grumbled as Petunia glared at her. Marge sneered.

"Such a shame that runts like you exist. But you mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon." She said. "If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it."

Max glanced at Harry, who seemed to be trying to concentrate on his food, but his hands shook and his face was starting to burn with anger.

Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine.

"It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup."

Max stared at the large woman, clearly stunned at such a blatant disregard of the dead, and even more, insulting the son of a woman she hadn't even met!

A second later, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping.

"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?"

"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubster's the other day. No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very firm grip..."

But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Harry suspiciously and Max grabbed his hand and pulled him away, but didn't say anything right then. It was only later that she did.

"Accidental magic?"

"I can't believe that I did that. I don't think I did anything like that since we were in Italy last."

"You have to be careful, Harry." She remarked softly as Marge's booming laugh echoed from downstairs.

"I know, I know…it's just, what she said about Mum, and…"

"I know, trust me if someone had called my Mum a bitch I'd probably blow a gasket…" She remarked, shuddering as she remembered events in Italy. "And I wouldn't have shattered just the wine glass."

The conversation stopped however when the door opened and Ryan came in, sniffling loudly. Max's expression softened and she picked up the three year old.

"Aun Mawge is mad again."

"It's not your fault." Max soothed softly.

"Yes it is. I always wong."

"Ryan Dursley, do you think I'm a liar?"

"Nu-uh." The little boy sniffled, curling up to her.

"Then I say it's not your fault. Marge is just…well…difficult to deal with. But that's not your fault."

"Can you use magic?"

Max smiled, brushing his hair back.

"Sorry kiddo, it's against the rules." Harry remarked lying down only to sit back up and toss another Lego out from under his back. "No magic."

"Aaawww…" The little boy sniffled as Max smiled.

"Tell you what, Harry and I will write to you during the school year and tell you all about the magic that we do. Sound good?"

"Mama and Papa won' like that."

"True, but how about this? You know Mrs. Figg?"

"Mhm."

"Well, we'll send the letters to her. That way you can go over there and she'll read them to you."

"She won' mind?"

"Not at all." Max replied. At least she hoped not. It hadn't been a fun explanation that Arabella Figg couldn't take them in this week due to going to visit her sister in Scotland, but still she'd have her mother ask the squib.

At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived. Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults; during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them a with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company; Marge cast a drunken look at Max and something in the shift of her expression that this wasn't going to be good then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.

"Can I tempt you, Marge?"

Max glanced at the woman as she tried to kick Ripper away from her as he was sniffing her leg appreciatively. Thank goodness she was leaving because that meant that this infernal dog, who had an obsession with humping her every given minute, would be gone too. Truth be told, it looked like Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red.

"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that... and a bit more... that's the ticket."

Apparently drinking in moderation was a foreign concept for her.

"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after..." She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach.

"Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley who was on his fourth slice of pie. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon…"

"Now, this one here-"

She jerked her head at Harry, who felt his stomach clench.

"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was- Weak. Underbred. It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Like the runt over there, yes I know what Vernon said, the mother's a teacher…" She sneered and Max felt her stomach make a drop towards her feet. "But the bad blood of a convict father. Hmph, you'll likely be selling yourself on the street in no time."

If Max's face hadn't been red before, she was red now and she looked at her lap, gripping the hem of her skirt tightly in her hand.

Harry was staring at his plate, a funny ringing in his ears. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into him like one of Uncle Vernon's drills. However he glanced at Max and tapped her hand.

"_Go on, I'll be fine."_ He tapped and she gave a brief nod before getting up and leaving without so much as an 'excuse me'. Harry heard Marge mutter that she was a rude brat before returning to the conversation

"Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovellike one "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Being friends with riff-raff like that and then running off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."

"This Potter." Aunt Marge said loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents.

"He-didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. "Unemployed."

"As I expected!" Aunt Marge exclaimed, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who -"

"He was not," said Harry suddenly. The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. He had never felt so angry in his life.

"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You -" he snarled at Harry. "Go to bed, go on -"

"No, Vernon." Aunt Marge hiccupped, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash, drunk, I expect-"

"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry, who found himself on his feet.

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar." screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little -"

But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger - but the swelling didn't stop. Marge's great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech - next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls - she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami.

This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

But Harry didn't really care at that point.

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. "NOOOOOOO!"

Ryan's eyes were wide in amazement as Vernon seized one of Marge's feet, and tried unsuccessfully to pull her down again and was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.

Harry tore from the dining room before anyone could stop him, heading for the upstairs. Max looked up, blinking as she wiped her eyes, already in one of his hoodies, a habit of hers when she got upset. He threw his and her stuff into the trunk they had been sharing, snapping it closed

"Harry?"

"Grab your wand, we're leaving." He ordered and Max pulled on her shoes wordlessly, grabbing her wand and dashed back downstairs with Harry, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.

"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

But a reckless rage had come over Harry. He went for his pocket, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at Uncle Vernon.

"She deserved it," Harry said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from me. From us."

He fumbled behind him for the latch on the door.

"We're going," Harry said. "We've had enough."

And in the next moment, he was out in the dark, quiet street, all while dragging the trunk in his other hand and heaving Max behind him with the other, who was rushing after him, nearly tripping at how quickly he was walking.

* * *

She threw on her hood, so it would trap her hair and make it easier to see, but as she glanced over her shoulder and saw that Marge was now a blimp sized shadow in front of the moon she looked back at Harry.

"Harry?" She finally asked as they stopped after walking past several streets and were now standing in front of a playground. Harry collapsed onto the sidewalk and swallowed roughly.

"I fucked up."

"Oh Harry, it's not your fault." Max remarked kindly. "I'm sorry I left you down there by yourself, and-"

"It's not your fault either. But the fact remains I just did serious magic. I'm going to be expelled from Hogwarts, I just know it."

"Harry-"

"I just broke the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry." He stated. Max swallowed, looking at him. "I'm surprised Ministry of Magic representatives aren't swooping down on me where we are right now."

"…how much money do you have?"

"I don't have any muggle money. A few gold coins, but that's-"

The light above them flickered and the wind began to pick up and the light suddenly shut off. Max shivered and pulled the jacket closer. The skirt was doing nothing for her.

Maybe she should finally listen to her mother about the uselessness of skirts.

Then eerily, the playground seemed to come alive, the swings moving ominously back and forth and the merry-go-round began to turn.

It made them feel anything BUT merry.

"Harry…" Max stated nervously as he turned before suddenly he straightened up suddenly, looking around him once more. "What? Harry, what is it?" He didn't answer.

A funny prickling on the back of his neck had made Harry feel he was being watched, but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses. He pulled Max behind him, glancing over his shoulder before he turned back in front of him, his hand clenched on his wand. He had sensed rather than heard it: someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind him. Harry squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then he'd know whether it was just a stray cat or - something else.

"Lumos." Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. He held it high over his head, and he sensed Max peek just slightly out from over his shoulder, the hood making it harder to see her face and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them Harry saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes.

Max, to her credit, given with her fear of horror movies, didn't shriek or faint. Though judging by the bruising grip on his arm, she was getting close to it.

It barked and Harry stumbled backward and both of them fell to the sidewalk again. There was a deafening BANG, and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light and Max finally let out a yelp. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying. They belonged, as Harry saw when he raised his head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve-"

The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry and Max, who were still sitting on the ground. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close up, he saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than he was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.

"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner.

"Fell over," said Harry as he glanced around the front of the bus

"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan.

"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed. One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding. He suddenly remembered why they had fallen over and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty.

"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.

"Nothing" said Harry. "Nothing at all."

"Woss your name?" Stan persisted.

"Neville Longbottom," said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head.

"An' you?"

"Alice. Alice Longbottom." Max replied, going along with Harry's story.

"Listen, how much would it be to get to the Leaky Cauldron in London?" Harry asked. Max glanced at him.

"Twenty-one Sickles, fer the both of ye" said Stan, "but for thirty you get 'or chocolate, and for thirty you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."

Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his moneybag, and shoved several gold pieces into Stan's hand, before helping Max up. He went to go help Stan with the trunk, but the conductor insisted on doing it himself. He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.

There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep. Max was sitting on one right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel.

"This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This, is Neville and Alice Longbottom, Ern. Siblins' I reckon."

"Yes sir." Max replied politely, pulling her hair out of the hood, shaking it loose. Stan stared for a few moments before knocking on the window to Ernie's compartment.

"Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.

There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. The beds rolled back and forth, side to side with each turn of the wheel. Max was clinging onto the bed for dear life, and he knew he was going to owe her big for putting up with him throughout this entire debacle. Pulling himself up, Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment.

"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."

Stan passed Harry's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trashcans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.

Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.

"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Harry, who hadn't had a death grip on the bed, flew forward, smashing face first into the window. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.

Harry wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he had been traveling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him.

Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. And there was the same man that Harry had seen earlier, though this time large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair laughing manically at the camera.

"That man!" Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!"

Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.

"Who is it?" Max managed, her face a tad shade paler with all the movement she was going through.

"Who is that? Who is…" He trailed off flipping the page to where both of them could see it. "That is Sirius Black," he said, nodding.

He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry's face, removed the front page, and handed it to Harry.

"Don't be tellin me you haven't hearin about Sirius Black?"

Harry didn't answer. "You oughta read the papers more, Neville."

Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:

_**BLACK STILL AT LARGE**_

_**Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today.**_

_**"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."**_

_**Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.**_

_**"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it-who'd believe him if he did?"**_

_**While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.**_

Harry chanced a glance at Max, and if she didn't look sick before, she did now. Her face was now green, her eyes large and owlish as she stared at the image on the paper.

"'e's a murder." Stan remarked snidely and Harry had to force himself not to say anything. That would give them away and likely reduce Max to tears.

"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read.

"He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"

"Ar," said Ern darkly.

"Well how did he escape?" Harry asked knowing Max wasn't.

"Well that's the question isn't it?" Stan replied excitedly. "He's the first on who dun it!"

Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry.

"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said. "You've 'eard of him haven't you?"

Harry glanced at Max who was now looking straight ahead, her jaw tight with her mouth set into a tight frown and he swallowed now.

"Yeah. Him I've heard of." He muttered.

"All You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.

Max's grip on the rail of the bed tightened and Harry saw her chest inhale sharply.

"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.

"What?" said Harry.

"Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, I 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you ... after what he did..."

Max looked at Harry, almost pleading with him to get them to change the topic. Ernie however, suddenly shivered.

"Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."

Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Harry just kept an eye on Max, who was now quiet, pulling his hoodie a bit tighter around her.

* * *

"Look, I haven't seen my husband in a decade." Moria remarked dryly as she looked at Fudge as they were seated in a room at the Leaky Cauldron. "I haven't been allowed to, if you would so kindly remember, so how in the world do you think I could have helped him escape, hm?"

"No one is saying that Mrs. Black." The Minister replied.

"I'm fairly aware of the security at Azkaban. Seeing as how I'm not soulless-"

"Yes, I'm fairly aware of that Mrs. Black." Fudge remarked. "It's just a precaution, that's all. What with how you and Sirius Black were involved, your daughter-"

"Max's paternity and my marriage to him has absolutely _nothing_ to do with you, Minister."

If Moria's expression could kill, she'd have been carted away for murdering the Minister of Magic with it.

"I'm afraid it does Mrs. Black."

"I'm not stupid, Minister. Just get straight to the point and say you suspect me of hiding Sirius away?"

"I'd never suggest such a thing, Mrs. Black," the minister replied diplomatically, though he was clearly realizing that he was now in front of a woman who didn't care about his status.

"Oh please, don't lie. That is exactly what you are thinking." she countered harshly.

"Mrs. Black, you have to understand…I was just wondering if, with your past, you knew of anything."

_"Oh that lousy…"_ Moria thought. "I'm not a seer minister. I haven't heard a thing from him under strict orders from the ministry that _**forbade**_ me from visiting him. Unless you've decided to let prisoners send letters, then how in the bloody hell could I have known and be able to hide him?" she spat out.

Fudge coughed, clearly uncomfortable now. "Speaking of hiding, are you aware that we do not have you written down for residency. Are you by any chance doing it on purpose?"

_"What do you think?"_ she thought, gripping her forearms tightly, as though to stop herself from smacking the man in front of her. However the doors to the Minister opened, and Fudge's expression of surprise quickly turned into a neutral mask.

"Minister Fudge, pleasure as always. Am I early for our meeting? I wouldn't know since your secretary sent me here."

Moria blinked several times, looking over her shoulder in surprise.

"Minster Racciopa?" She murmured as Fudge went around his desk to greet the man, though he didn't seem all that happy. He stopped in surprise at Moria's remark.

"You know Minister Racciopa? How-"

"Auror Black, what a surprise in meeting you here! And here I thought I was going have to summon you!"

Moria offered a slight smile that gradually grew as four figures entered behind the Minister. Their expressions lit up.

"Moria!"

Seconds later, Moria was in a bone crushing bear hug as Rosetta Goretti, Nico Tosto, and Basilio Leoni had nearly tackled her. Moria spotted Giacintro Muraro standing behind and she offered a smirk.

"Cosa? Non mi puoi dare un abbraccio?" She asked. The man smirked.

"Nah. Lo fanno abbastanza."

"Now, what did you need to see Auror Black for? Surely she isn't reinstated. Not after her retirement."

Moria shook her head looking at the Racciopa.

"Sorry Minister, I'm…ah…being questioned."

"Oh? Whatever for?" The minister stated.

"My husband well…"

"Ah yes, I heard over the grapevine of Signore Black's escape. But that doesn't explain why you are here."

"They want to make sure I wasn't involved."

All the aurors of her team snorted.

"You? Part of a conspiracy?" Racciopa remarked slowly before looking at Fudge. "Is this some joke?"

"N-now Minister-"

"Minister, it's alright." Moria stated. "Honest."

"Famiglia Beh, vedo perseguitando di membri condannati di questo paese non è nulla di nuovo." Racciopa mumbled under his breath before turning to Fudge. "She would do no such thing as you are questioning her, Fudge. Now, are we going to be talking about trade?"

"I still need to place an auror or personnel to ensure Mrs. Black here isn't visited any unwanted guests until the issue of her husband is resolved."

Which meant when Sirius was captured again. That didn't settle well in Moria's stomach and she swallowed. Racciopa waved his hand in front of his face as though he was swatting a fly.

"I think Auror Leoni can stay here for the meantime."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Or Auror Muraro, or Auror Tosto, or Auror Goretti." He tutted as though it wasn't anything new. Moria barely held back a smirk.

"Now hold on, why are you sending one of your own aurors to stay here?" Fudge stuttered out clearly flustered. The Italian minister's brow rose.

"Now Minister, surely you don't think of my own men incapable of assisting with guard duty? Why, Auror Black here was and is one of our decorated retirees at the Italian Auror department, something your files should indicate. I believe that having one that knows her will enable you and your own officials a sure account if Black is in fact hiding anything." He remarked, clearly enjoying Fudge's face turning a shade of red. "Now come along, we'll discuss all of this alone."

The door to the further chamber shut, cutting off the conversation and the group of aurors turned.

"It's so nice to see you!" Rosetta chirped happily. "So glad I was ordered to go now."

"It's nice to see you all too…though I wish my mood was happier." Moria replied and the mood grew somber.

"No word?"

"I just found out." Moria remarked, rubbing her brow. Rosetta patted her shoulder sympathetically.

"Everything will work out." She remarked.

Moria sighed.

* * *

Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby- looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Thanks," Harry said to Ern.

He jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk onto the pavement. Max had remained unusually quiet through the remainder of the trip, but Harry highly doubted it was because of the same reason that his own stomach was rolling

"Well," said Harry. "'Bye then!"

But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus) he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. "There you are, Harry," said a voice. Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere I"

Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach - he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself.

Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them.

"What didja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly.

Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted.

"Neville?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter."

"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!"

"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..."

He trailed off as he caught glance of Max and his face gained an odd expression before he increased pressure on Harry's shoulder, steering him into the pub. Max followed, dragging the trunk behind her. Harry went to go back and help her, but the pressure of Fudge's hand prevented him.

Which annoyed the hell out of him.

A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.

"You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"

"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry.

There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Tom went to where Max was and helped her bring the trunk in

"And a private parlor, please-" Fudge began.

"Harry? Max?"

Harry turned to see Moria coming down the stairs, confusion laced on her face. He however panicked.

"They already contacted you?!"

"Contacted me? About what?" She began but noticed Fudge's expression and hers hardened. "Mind telling me in Minister?"

"Ah…"

"Mum…" Harry murmured, finally wrenching his shoulder out from Fudge's hand. "It was an accident, I swear."

"What was?"

"Come along, I'll inform you of everything that has happened." Fudge remarked nervously. Moria glanced at her daughter and gave a slight smile. She then glanced at the Italian aurors who immediately went around to Max's side as Moria went along with Fudge and Harry.

Fudge marched Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.

"Sit down if you will." Fudge remarked, indicating a chair by the fire. Moria and Harry did as they were told, though Moria's glare hadn't diminished.

"I should tell you, Mr. Potter, earlier this evening your uncle's sister was located just south of Sheffield, circling a chimney stack. The Accidental Magic Reversal Department was dispatched and she's been properly punctured and her memory modified. She has no recollection of the incident whatsoever."

"What happened?" Moria asked softly.

"She…well…she insulted Max, my parents…you…and I just snapped. It was an accident I swear! But I broke the law and-"

"So that's that, and no harm done."

Moria and Harry glanced at Fudge in surprise.

"I…what?"

"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry."

"Sir…I don't understand. I broke the law. Underage wizards aren't allowed to use magic at home."

"Come now Harry. The Ministry doesn't send people to Azkaban for blowing up their aunts!"

"_No…just for murders that they don't commit."_ Moria thought angrily, glaring at the Minister.

"Minister, it's late…since both my children are here, I'd very much like to take them home to go to bed.

"Actually," Fudge interrupted with a wave of his hand, looking at Moria who crossed her arms and returned the gaze. "Speaking of such, I should be apologizing for interrupting your summer break, however I must draw the conversation back to when we were discussing the whereabouts of where you are living…"

"My godson is Harry Potter. I prefer that I have at least a resemblance of privacy so I don't have reporters trying to talk to the Boy who Lived every minute of our lives. So I choose to live discreetly." She said, trying to keep her tone even and free of malice, though it was pushing it. Harry glanced up at Moria, whose hand had gripped his shoulder tightly.  
Fudge seemed to believe her and nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "A smart move," he confirmed. "Also, about young Harry" He remarked gesturing to him "…we managed to hide this information from the press but I'm afraid that as his guardian and himself, you both ought to know. Witnesses say that Black mumbled something concerning his parents, the late Lily and James Potter, and about killing someone while he slept. We're afraid his target might be your godson."  
Moria stared at the man. To Fudge she was in shock. Maybe even in fear. Harry knew better and could see she was about ready to launch at his throat and while laughing madly try and strangle him.  
"And you think that because…?" she said glaring at the man.  
"Because young Harry destroyed his Master, obviously." Fudge stated. "We should place Harry under a tight security. And visitations to Hogsmeade while Black is at large are just out of question-"  
"What?" Harry said in panic, but Moria took over at that point, standing up.  
"Excuse me!" Moria snarled with fury all over her face. Fudge immediately flinched. "Since when were you in charge of my godson?!"

"Mrs. Black, you must understand, he-"

"If my memory serves me correctly you aren't his guardian and therefore weren't given the rights to decide what he could or couldn't do! I am not going to deprive my godson of his life just because you think Sirius is after him. Harry is **my** son, **my** ward, so by all legality **I** get to decide."  
"Miss Black, that is highly irresponsible of you," Fudge countered angrily. "He's only a boy! He needs protection!"  
"He has protection," Moria declared. "He has me, he has Hogwarts and all its' wards to protect him! Hell, he has the wards at Hogsmeade to protect him if need be! Harry will get to go to Hogsmeade this year, like my daughter will get to go next year." she hissed out, seemingly towering over the Minister.  
"Miss Black-"  
"It's my final decision." she interrupted, helping Harry stand up, but this time looking away from the Minister of Magic. "If that is all, Minister, we are done."  
Looking furious at the blatant scene of disrespect from her, the minister got up from his seat.

"Well, it does seem like we're done, Miss Black. One of the aurors will be in contact with you. Goodnight." He said in a cold tone, giving the two of them curt nods before he turned around and exited the office.

"…Mum?" Harry asked looking at Moria who looked as though she had aged a few years. But she just shook her head, sighing.

"Let's just…let's just go home."

* * *

"You okay?"

Moria looked up from her dining room table and saw Remus standing there.

"Shit…I zoned out and didn't answer the door, didn't I?"

"That's fine. Kreacher let me in He said you were upset."

"Take a guess as to why."

"I don't have to. I about had a heart attack when I saw the article myself."

"Sorry…I didn't mean to snap."

Moria snorted as Remus sat down. She however stood and went to a cabinet and pulled out two lowball glasses and took out a firewhiskey.

"I didn't know you drank." Remus remarked as she sat back down and plopped a glass in front of him.

"I don't usually. I think at the most I've drank a little, and that was when I was celebrating with my coworkers for a job well done when I was an auror."

"I see." Remus grimaced, glancing at the old clock against the wall. "Isn't it a bit late to be drinking though?"

"Considering I found out that my husband escaped when I was practically dragged off the street, I don't really care. Now are you or not?"

He thought about it for a moment before he took a sip and felt the sensation as the alcohol burned its down his throat.

"How's Max?"

"Upset obviously. More scared for Sirius than anything. But that's a sentiment we both share. You should have seen the looks Fudge was giving her. It was like he thought she was going to tackle Harry and begin to strangle him."

"Not like you haven't raised them since they were both in diapers."

"Hey, I'm the wife of a convicted killer on the run, my credibility as a mother apparently was balancing on that." Moria replied bitterly.

"Malcolm died. Was at his funeral." Moria muttered. Remus glanced at her and set the cup down.

"Why? You hated him and he hated you."

"I don't know…wanted to show him how much I had grown. That I could go to him damn funeral and not care about it."

"But…"

"I was a big baby. Didn't even sit down."

"You're not a baby, Moria. He hurt you a lot. Some scars aren't visible…and they hurt a whole lot more and are a lot deeper than physical." Remus remarked.

"…is it bad that I pity him?"

"No. You're a good person, Moria." Remus reminded her gently and she rubbed her forehead, leaning heavily on the table. He was silent briefly.

"Work is going to be interesting." Moria commented offhandedly. "Wonder how many letters Dumbledore is going to get asking for me to resign."

"Actually, we're going to be working together this year."

"Are we?" Moria murmured looking up curiously. "Why you know something I don't about the status of my job?"

He laughed.

"No. Dumbledore offered me the position as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor."

Moria sat up straight and stared for several minutes.

Then Remus got what he was searching for.

The first real smile that she had given him since he got here.

"Remus, that's great." She congratulated. He grinned. "How's Geoffrey taking it?"

"Rather well, surprisingly. Said I couldn't be any worse than Lockhart. Not sure if that's a compliment."

Moria took a sip of her drink and smiled.

"It's a compliment. Complete compliment."

Both chuckled, but Moria's smile slowly dimmed as she looked at her drink. Remus set his glass down and held her hand.

"He'll be alright, Moria. He's smart…" Remus said softly. Moria was quiet, inhaling sharply before nodding. He sighed and pulled her to him into a hug as she shook silently.

* * *

"Minister?"

"Yes Auror Muraro? What is it?"

"I have…a request."

"I have already assigned Auror Leoni to guard duty for Mrs. Black." Racciopa replied glancing at Giacintro. However the Auror shook his head.

"I know full well Basilio can handle the job. This request is different."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"What is it?" The Italian Minister asked. Giacintro straightened.

"I want to look into Sirius Black's case."

"Muraro, I sincerely doubt that Fudge will reopen the case."

"He doesn't have to reopen. I just want to look into it."

"…why?"

"Other than the fact that he wasn't given a proper trial? And no, Moria Black didn't tell me that, I found that out through newspapers. I want to see if there was probably cause for that."

"You want to see if he was guilty or not."

"Yes sir."

Racciopa stared at him.

"Your relationship with your girlfriend…Ms. Fermi, is good, yes?"

"Yes. Look, I want to make things right. Like you said awhile back…Auror Black helped change the Italian Ministry for the better." He replied. Guilio Racciopa looked at him and then sighed.

"Alright. You can look into it. But no arrests or anything. If you think there is something of value, you direct it to the Auror's in England."

"Yes sir."

"Muraro."

"Yes."

"Show them what being an auror means to an Italian." Racciopa ordered and Giacintro smiled and then gave a slight bow as acknowledgement and walked out.

Moria Black had done everything and beyond for the Italian Ministry and for her friends.

It was time to return the favor.

* * *

**Here are some translations!**

**Cosa? Non mi puoi dare un abbraccio?- What? You cannot give me a hug?**

**Nah. Lo fanno abbastanza- Nah. They do it enough**

**Famiglia Beh, vedo perseguitando di membri condannati di questo paese non è nulla di nuovo.- Well, I see persecuting family of convicted members of this country isn't anything new.**


	11. YEAR 3 BEGINS

Moria sighed as she glanced at the bedrooms of Harry and Max when she walked up the stairs. It had been incredibly quiet during dinner that night, and it wasn't something Moria could blame them on.

Honestly she didn't know whether to be ecstatic about Sirius breaking free or wanting to strangle him because of how bloody reckless he was.

Still she couldn't deny there was a twinge of relief embedded in her heart with the thought that Sirius wasn't in Azkaban anymore. Granted if he was caught again, he would likely be kissed by a Dementor…

And then he would be gone from her, innocent or otherwise.

"Sirius, please don't do anything reckless." She whispered. Meanwhile Harry had fallen asleep and was nearly off the bed when he sensed he wasn't alone.

"What is it Max?" He mumbled.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Mum wouldn't come in here unless she heard me fall of the bed." He remarked tiredly. "What's up?"

"…do you think he's alright?" She finally asked He turned and looked at her. She looked like she hadn't even fallen asleep yet.

"I'm sure he's fine. I mean he had to be sane enough to escape Azkaban and actually do it."

"Or insane enough." She muttered, sitting on the side of his bed.

"I think he'll be fine." He repeated softly.

She sighed and flopped backwards. A grunt signified she had landed on his midsection.

"Maxi, I can't breathe…" He whined, but she remained silent.

"Harry?"

"What?" He whined.

"…if he gets caught…do you think they'll give him the kiss?" She asked, almost timidly. He looked up and then sighed, patting her head.

"Probably." He muttered and she was silent. "But he won't get caught." Harry reiterated. "If you're anything like him, then he won't."

"How in the world did you make that connection?" She asked ruefully and he grinned.

"Can't remember how many times you helped me get out of a tight spot with the bullies. And how you manage to keep a cool head even when we were in danger of dying that one time with Nico and that Inferi girl."

"Maddalena?"

"Yeah." He remarked and she blushed.

"You had to get it from someone. And yeah, Mum is really good at avoiding conflict, but I have a feeling you got some from him."

"I…suppose."

"Well I know." He remarked with a tired grin and she smiled. There was silence as Max stared at the ceiling of Harry's room watching as the Quidditch players on the posters spelled to stick to the ceiling fly around.

"Hey…Harry?"

She looked up when he didn't answer and found he had fallen back asleep. She sighed and returned her gaze back to the ceiling with a slight amused smile.

"Thanks for listening." She murmured.

A snore was the only response.

* * *

"Keep that bloody cat away from Scabbers!"

"Oh Ron, Crookshanks is a cat! It's in their nature!"

Harry groaned as he slumped on the couch. Max glanced at him from her book.

"My life sssuuccckkkssss…." He whined and she chuckled softly.

"Hermione and Ron always argue."

"Yeah well you try playing in between."

Max didn't reply, continuing to read. He glanced at her.

"Any news?"

"No." She replied softly.

"He'll be fine, Max. Promise." He said and she nodded.

"Merlin! Wait!"

Max and Harry looked up as they heard frantic squeaking followed by a cacophony of feet. The pair stood and went towards the Burrows stairs. They saw Scabbers squeaking frantically down each step, and then came Crookshanks. Seconds later, Merlin came running down, but tripped on the first step and avalanched down the stairs, smashing into Crookshanks, who was just about to pounce on Scabbers.

"Impeccable hunting skills your cat has, Max." Harry teased.

"I'm not the one who bought him of mighty chooser of cats." She replied with a grin, which fell off her face as Scabbers made a beeline to her.

"Wait, Scabbers, don't-"

The rat scurried up her leg and into her skirt. Max began hopping around, trying to get the aged rat out from under her skirt. Crookshanks and Merlin were right after him and both pounced onto Max causing the girl to lose her balance. Harry rushed to her aide and grabbed both cats, Crookshanks hissing loudly. Scabbers popped out of the back of Max's shirt and began to scamper away, only to be scooped up by Ron. Neither of the other pet owners asked if Max was okay, instead continued their arugment.

"See what you did, Hermione?" Ron snapped as he petted Scabbers, who was shaking in Ron's hands. Hermione glared.

"I told you Ron, Crookshanks is a cat! It's animal nature for them to chase mice and rats."

"Well-"

"If you two don't shut the bloody up now, I'm going to hurl something at the both of you." Max snarled angrily as she stood up, glaring at them angrily. Merlin suddenly seemed content in running to Ginny. She may have been shorter than Ron, but Harry watched with some slight amusement as the redhead quailed and shrunk. The other Weasley boys all watched as how Max seemed to grow in size and fire was burning in her eyes.

"I'm going to go finish packing." She growled angrily, turning on her heel.

"I'll watch Merlin." Harry responded good-naturedly as Max stormed around Fred and George, the pair splitting apart as she stormed past.

"Bloody hell, what was that?"

"That my friend, would be Max's temper. And if you prod it too much, you'll wind up with a bloody nose." Harry replied patting his back as he picked up Merlin, who mewed, his tail flicking from side to side.

* * *

It was pretty quick after this, and soon they were at the 9¾ station. And soon they were headed towards Hogwarts. Ginny and Max had wandered around the train cars before they spotted their friends. Nysa looked up and waved.

"Hello!" She called out. "How was your summer?"

"Good. Yours?" Max remarked as she set Merlin's cat travel box down.

"Meh, so-so." She remarked.

"We went to Hawaii for a week." Charlotte replied.

"Daddy and I went to Africa to try and find an Erumpent." Luna replied.

"Oh, that's…that's nice," Max said, unsure of what to say. "Did you…find any?"

Luna shook her head. "No. But we had a nice time, anyway."

"That's good," Ginny said. "My family went to Egypt this year. "

"Oh, you didn't feel like your brain was fuzzy while you were there, did you? Because that might have been a Wrackspurt attacking you—I heard they float inside the tombs." she said worriedly. Nysa and Charlotte were trying their hardest to not smile and laugh, Max however was calm and she shook her head.

"I don't think she was, Luna. But thanks for warning her; we'll be careful next time."

"You're welcome," the blonde girl told her with a smile. Max and Ginny sat down and the group began to converse. For the first little while everything was fine, but Max grew quiet and stared out the window at the darkening sky.

"…then Draco sat on a crab and screamed and cried like a little girl." She heard and glanced back at the conversation as Ginny laughed.

"Of course the git would sit on a crab." Ginny said with a chuckle. "Right Max?"

"…Right…" She replied with a smile, petting Merlin who stretched against her. The group looked at her and knew she hadn't likely been paying all that much attention. They didn't dwell on it. It was after all not that surprising. Max sighed and then looked at the seat and saw _**'The Quibbler'**_. She blinked as she saw the cover and cocked her head to the side.

"Luna, do you mind if I take a look at your magazine?" she asked pointing at it.

The blonde girl shook her head and passed it to her. "Are you looking for the Sirius Black article?" Luna asked.

Max blinked in shock and made a quick glance to Ginny who shrugged. "How did you know?"

Luna shrugged. "It was very…talked about. My dad wrote it himself," she said.

"It's on page 12."

"Thanks," Max said. Ginny sat closer to her, peering over her shoulder and pushing back the pigtail that Max was sporting, apparently also curious about the article. She found the page, and turned excitedly to the article. The headline on the article said:

_**«For twelve years Sirius Black has been believed guilty of the mass murder of twelve innocent Muggles and one wizard. Black's audacious escape from Azkaban in the end of July has led to the widest manhunt ever conducted by the Ministry of Magic. None of us has ever questioned that he deserves to be recaptured and handed back to the Dementors.**_

_**BUT DOES HE? **_

_**Startling new evidence has recently come to light that Sirius Black may not have committed the crimes for which he was sent to Azkaban. Apart from the fact that he was never given a trial, a wizarding Naturalist, Lawrence Northwode, affirms that the whole tragedy may have an accident.**_

_**What people don't realize is that Sirius Black may have accidentally gotten in the middle of something bigger," says Mr. Northwode. "I have received notice that by 1981 in a building at the street where the alleged murder occurred there was a group of wizards who were suspected to run a large smuggling operation and that some of these men had very tight connections with the Ministry of magic. Among the smuggled goods, there were Erumpent's horns that, as you know, are extremely explosive and might have caused that tragic explosion instead of some unknown curse. I dare saying that, Black, being the only survivor, may have been the victim of a conspiracy by the Ministry itself. I hope that by exposing this situation to the public it will be investigated and, in the end, Mr. Black is given a full pardon."»**_

"This is… interesting," Ginny mumbled.

Max nodded in agreement. That was not what she had been expecting to read…but it was comforting to know that at least someone was willing to believe her father was innocent.

"Daddy received a lot of owls because of that article," Luna told her in a sad tone. "People seem to think the idea of Sirius Black being innocent is absurd. I don't understand why, though. Mr. Northwode made a very good point… But people think it is completely made up."

"I believe he's innocent," Max told her softly, closing the magazine and handing it back to Luna.

"Well I believe the exact opposite of my family, so I concur with you two."

"I have no hold on this story, but as I am friends with you and believe your story more than the one the Prophet has weaved, I believe you too." Charlotte added. But, as she finished saying that, the five girls felt the train starting to slow down, then stop. Max got up and approached the window, looking out of it to see the furious rain falling outside. There wasn't a bit of sun and the landscape seemed to be covering with fog. She couldn't see out there anymore.

"We can't be there yet," Ginny stated, joining her. "We've just left half an hour ago." She added. Max blinked and looked at the door before going over and sliding it open. Charlotte began to pet Merlin who was beginning to growl and hiss. She peered out and saw Harry doing the same.

"This is not normal…" Max breathed, swallowing as she looked at him.

"Maxi, get back into the compartment and stay there." Harry whispered out.

Suddenly there was a jolt as though something had hit the train and she stepped back, the door sliding shut with a loud bang. Her heart was now hammering in her chest. It sure didn't help that the lights flickered once, twice before fluttering off. There was another jolt as though someone had slammed the door open and she fell back into the seat, her eyes fixed onto the window at the door. Faintly she heard Merlin yowling in fear, hissing angrily. But no sooner had she heard that than suddenly, the air became very cold and they could see their own breath like it was a winter day, and Max's heart plummeted as she heard the crackling sound made by the window, as it seemed to start to freeze.

At the same time, she started to feel terribly. The cold seemed to have reached her insides and she started to feel weak. Every single bit of happiness inside her was vanishing one by one and all she could remember of her life was the bad memories, when she had hurt Eligio, when she had gone mute, and more memories flashed by her. She blinked, thinking her vision must have been going as shadows seeming to grow around the edges of the door, licking the sides as a creature began to enter the compartment next to theirs.

She let out a gasp as the shadows grew and she fell down into the darkness like Alice in Wonderland, down, down, down.

Until she wasn't Maxine Black anymore, until she was someone else.

* * *

"_**Stop!" **_

_She couldn't stop, wouldn't stop, not until she knew they were safe._

_Shots rang out and the tree right behind her exploded into wood slivers and pulp, snow dusted her head as she ran. Her shoes were soaked with snow, frozen to her feet, as the German soldiers raced after her, shouting at her to cease._

_Then there was a burning in her shoulder and she stumbled forward, clutching the Star of David stitched into her coat. Warmth began to leech down her shoulder. _

_Keep running. Keep running._

_**Max…**_

_Another shot, burning sensation ran through her arm._

**Max.**

_She could see a dark shadowed figure up ahead, his eyes red, his head a cows skull, and bearing down at her. A creature from her nightmares before the war and the Nazi party. It raised clawed hands towards her, and she could almost hear it cackling. She slid to the stop and went to move around him._

_Another shot._

_Then atmosphere changed to where it was nearly suffocating, the shadows darkening and seeming to grow. The sickening sound of something hitting flesh, the liquid fire in her lungs. She tried to say something, to scream as she fell forward, but a sudden, growing warmth crawled up her throat, chocking the words back as she fell into the snow. It slid out of her mouth and down her chin, staining the ground red. _

_She couldn't breathe._

_She was choking on her own blood._

"_**MAGDALENA!"**_

"MAX!"

A smack dragged Max back into consciousness and she saw Nysa, Luna, and Ginny standing around her, cocooning her to the seat in the Hogwarts Express. She spied Charlotte finding the door, saying she would find a teacher.

"Are you alright? You just went really still and was staring at that Dementor." Nysa asked. "Professor Lupin used some sort of spell to cast it away, but you were staring at it like it had burned you." She continued. "And it didn't even come in here."

"D…Dementor?" Max managed with a slur.

"Here. My mum gave it to me." Charlotte remarked as she came back in, dragging Remus behind her. "It's hot chocolate. It will warm you up." She said after she found her thermos.

"T-thanks…" Max murmured, and realized she was shaking. She looked at Remus. "H…How's Harry?"

"He's fine. He had a reaction too…but he's fine now. Hermione and Ron are with him right now. Are you alright?"

"M…Mhm…" She muttered, shuddering.

"It's probably best that you go to Harry. He's probably worried about you." Remus replied kindly and Max nodded, looking at the Thermos cup. What was that? Clearly she had never been in Germany, especially around the era with Nazi's. Her parents hadn't even been born yet.

So why was she imagining a different girl named Maddalena? Dementors brought out the worst fear of someone…so why did her worst fear deal with something she had never known?

She thought about that for the brief moment before she spotted Harry, paler than her and rushed over to him. As she sat next to him, she wanted nothing more than this trip to be over.

* * *

"Here you go." A waitress said as she handed Giacintro a cup of coffee. He flashed her a smile and she blushed before returning to her rounds. He continued to look at Sirius Black's file as he poured some creamer into the coffee.

Granted calling this piece of shit a file was pushing it.

He had certainly gotten some looks and had listened to a large amount of grief to get a file that wasn't even close to being the width of his thumb. He sighed as he stirred the coffee.

"Anything I can help with?"

Giacintro looked up at the pink haired, punk looking woman standing in front of him. He shrugged and then motioned to the chair across the table.

"Nymphadora Tonks. Auror of the English Ministry. Just call me Tonks." The woman remarked as he opened his mouth and Giacintro nodded in acknowledgement.

"Giacintro Muraro. Auror of the Italian Ministry." He responded shaking her hand. "And not really. Unless you can explain the crap I've been given for researching Black's case."

"Sorry, that's all there is." Tonks remarked gesturing to the lone file. "Sirius's case was pretty much shut and close."

"Shut and close? Do the English have a different understanding of the phrase?"

"Hey!" Tonks hissed out.

"Even if it was a shut and close case files, for an investigation; especially a mass murder investigation should include photos, lists of witnesses, deaths, survivors, and dimensions. Not to mention history on the convicted, mental tests on him or her, a look to whatever spell they last casted..."

"Look I don't like it either, but that was all they did."

"…no wonder Moria hated the judiciary system here. It's about as corrupt as someone could get it to be." Giacintro mumbled. There was silence as the waitress refilled his cup and gave Tonks hers and several minutes after.

"Do you think there is a chance…you know…for him to be cleared?" Tonks finally asked, clasping her cup tightly. Giacintro glanced at her and sighed.

"I can't say yes, because there may be a chance that he did do it. But I think I'm going to go a bit deeper into this than I planned and add to what I've gotten so far."

"You mean…you're going to look into it? Fully?"

"Yes. Granted I think I'm going to need some help. Still haven't quite figured out London."

"Oh I can help! And I think I can manage one more, if that's okay."

"Sure." He replied. "Actually…I was curious. Did the muggle government conduct an investigation as well?"

"I'm not sure to be honest." Tonks remarked, taking a sip of her coffee, not even touching sugar or milk. "It'd be worth a look though, I suppose."

"It will give this file some names of possible survivors of the explosion to be able to contact for more information." Giacintro explained, tapping the file.

"They're muggles though…I don't think they'd really know much about what really happened."

"They would know what happened before and after the explosion." Giacintro remarked. "So this other colleague of yours…"

"Kingsley Shacklebolt." Tonks supplied. "He's my supervisor, but he's not one of the Minister's lackeys who strokes Fudge's ego. He's really into justice."

"Good. Likely going to wind up pissing off the Minister when he finds out that I'm going to go a step farther into looking at the Black case." Giacintro replied as the pair stood and paid for their drinks.

"By the way, you don't seem to be the person who likes to have their coffee black."

"I like it Black because it's bitter."

"Not because that's they way you like-"

"Finish the statement and I'll hex you back to Italy." Tonks warned good-naturedly. Giacintro sighed.

"Are you related to Moria by any chance? You two seem to have much in common."

Tonks laughed.

* * *

"So this is what it looks like to be at Hogwarts." Basilio replied. Moria snorted as she set her box down.

"Yeah. Exciting isn't it?"

"I'm surprised you left Max and Harry with the Weasley's with this all going on."

"I have to. We had a meeting."

"Remus didn't show up though."

"Technically speaking, his admission as a professor hasn't started yet." She replied with a chuckle. "We're probably going to be talking about added security."

"I see."

"…this is going to be fun listening to Snape."

"The big nose man?"

Moria chuckled.

"Yes. Him."

"He looks like something crawled up his pale ass and then died…sideways."

She laughed a bit louder.

"Yes, he has that impression on people unfortunately."

"Why are you worried about him?"

"Not worried. I'm just expecting him to suggest I resign for the year with Sirius being on the loose."

"Ah I see…well…lets get their a bit earlier, hm?"

"Um…sure?" She replied. "What's the rush?"

"Just because." He replied a wicked smile on his face. The pair left her office as she continued looking at her notes for the year's curriculum. She was so used to the school she didn't even look up, though Basilio had to hurry after her. Finally the reached the Teacher's Conference Room and they both sat down, Moria still reading.

"Well, well…it appears Dumbledore decided to keep you." A voice drawled, and Moria paused. Basilio looked at the man, who was wearing a black robe.

"Severus." Moria responded stiffly, returning to her reading.

Snape glanced at Basilio but for only a second as the man was twiddling his thumbs and looking as clueless and as helpless. Some Auror.

Soon after the other professors arrived, all sitting down, Dumbledore the last to arrive. He calmly closed the door and after the pleasantries were done, he went right down to business.

"As you are all aware of, Sirius Black escaped Azkaban. Due to this, precautions will be set up here. We already have been given Auror Basilio to aide in rounds around the school grounds." Dumbledore remarked, nodding to Basilio. "However Minister Fudge believes such precautions are not enough."

"Understandable." Snape drawled, taking extra care to make it obvious he was looking at Moria. She ignored his glares, as did the others.

"So…Fudge has ordered…Dementors…to patrol the grounds as well. Only at the borders, how-"

"Is he bloody insane?" Moria finally asked in disbelief. "They're Dementors! They shouldn't be anywhere near students!"

"I am aware, however my hands are tied in this."

"Albus, you can't be serious." Minerva replied. "Children are here."

"I know…however Cornelius has given me his word that the Dementors will not enter the school grounds. They will remain in the borders."

"Like the Dementors will do that." Moria remarked dryly and several other professors nodded in agreement.

"Well if someone hadn't broken out of jail, we wouldn't be in this predicament would we?"

Moria swung her gaze back to Severus who was looking at her blandly. Everyone was silent as the two glared at one another, sizing one another up.

"It's not my fault that Sirius broke out, Snape." She growled angrily and Snape snorted, making it clear of his disbelief.

"I highly doubt that, Black. Like I told Dumbledore-"

With this Basilio stood and walked over to Severus Snape calmly, though he seemed to exude a large amount of danger in his being. And seeing as he towered over Snape and the others, barring Hagrid, by at least a foot, she understood why other Aurors feared him.

"Now Signore Snape, you cannot be questioning the word of a lady, can you?" He remarked evenly, but his eyes flashed dangerously. "It would be very unbecoming of you in this trying time to do so, would it not?"

Snape stared at this man, not answering him.

Basilio then smiled and smacked Snape hard in the back, laughing merrily.

"I see, quite the stoic of a man!" He exclaimed laughing loudly. Snape looked like he was about to fall face first onto the ground. "Stoicism is fine for everything, but I do hope it doesn't cloud the judgment, be it folly or not. Always be vigilant." He reminded and Dumbledore smiled.

Glancing around Moria saw that the other professors didn't quite know what to make of their foreign guard. She internally groaned.

What a year this was shaping out to be.

* * *

**PHEW! ANOTHER ONE OF THESE CHAPTERS DONE! W00T! I HAD MAJOR ISSUES WITH MORIA'S PART. AND WHO IS MAGDALENA? WELL ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ PART 3 TO KNOW PARTS OF MAX'S STORY ARC WHICH WILL SHOW UP OCCASIONALLY.**


	12. Dementors

"_**Mum…Mum!"**__ Harry sobbed as he ran to Moria in a panic, his eyes wide and frightened. The figure was after him, the one who had made the horrible green light, the laughter, the screaming. Everything. But this time it didn't fade. _

_It grew louder._

"_**Harry…" **__Moria said softly. __**"Harry, breathe…"**_

"_**I can't! I can't!"**_

_Moria was quiet and gentle, helping him sit down and curl up into the fetal position, rubbing his back in soothing circles as he shook and shook, before he began to settle down._

"_**It's okay…" **__Moria gently repeated, knowing that occasionally he had such bad attacks. They thankfully were infrequent, but any trigger, such as those murders that had shown on the telly recently, even though he couldn't understand completely was going on, would affect him. It seemed she'd have to figure out that channel block…_

"_**Why…why did he have to hurt them?"**__ Harry wheezed, shaking as Moria stood and walked over, grabbing a worn out quilted blanket and wrapping it around him. He watched her as he curled around the blanket and she made a small cup of milk with simple flicks of her wand._

"_**Because he was a bad man Harry…"**_

"_**But it was so wrong…"**_

"_**Yes…that it was…" **__She replied gently, rubbing his back. She was quiet for a little while._

"_**Mum…do you ever miss them?"**_

_She turned and looked at him and opened her mouth to reply-_

"-rry? Harry?"

He jumped, glancing at Max who was sitting next to him, concern on her face. "Harry, breathe. Just breathe, okay?"

"What's wrong with him?" He vaguely heard Ron ask and Hermione quickly shushed him, but Harry only shrugged. Something heavy was plopped on his shoulders. A robe, he figured out rather quickly and slowly he began to calm down.

"He's having a panic attack." Another voice, Geoffrey, he recognized informed. "He had them occasionally when he was younger…not frequently though."

"…'m fine." He croaked, and was relieved to see his voice was finally coming back. "Where's your dad Geoff?"

"Still talking to the conductor. I'll go look around. Dad has to have a stash around."

"Of?"

"Chocolate. Harry probably needs a bit more than my dad gave originally."

"Wait, I have a frog." He heard a different voice, this one in front of him say and he looked up to see Ginny sitting there, now fishing around her pocket, before she found the familiar box and pulled it out, extending it to him. He just stared at her, blinking as phantom rays of sun broke through the grey clouds and casted her in a soft glow, her hair turning almost seeming to glow. He felt something form in his stomach and warm slightly.

"Thanks." He murmured, blushing slightly. Ginny smiled, a blush on her cheek.

"That must have been pretty scary, going against a dementor." Nysa remarked, pushing her hair back, even her hand trembling.

"So…that's what those things look like." Harry finally managed through a tight throat, shaking his head to ward off the thoughts and the distant scream that came back.

"Yeah. Nasty things."

"Everyone else ok?"

"Yeah, though Max scared us for a little bit."

"Huh?" Harry asked groggily looking up at his sister as she glared at Nysa. "What are they talking about?"

"Nothing…I'm fine." She replied. "I'm not one who passed out, so it should be you we're more worried about." Max replied. Harry seemed to think otherwise.

"Maxi…"

"It was just…I think I conjured up a nightmare of something else because it was a completely different timeline." She explained shortly. He looked about ready to argue but she nudged the chocolate frog box into his hand.

"Talk later, eat first. Mum is going to be so pissed when she finds out what happened."

Harry internally groaned, not wanting to think of what was going to happen when Moria found out and began to eat the chocolate frog, looking at Max, clearly relaying that he wanted an explanation from her later. She gave a brief nod but looked at her lap. None noticed a raven flying near the window watching them before flying ahead and disappearing into grey sky.

* * *

"Dumbledore, I need to talk to you."

The Headmaster looked up as the other teachers made their way out of the teaching lounge. Moria stood there in front of him.

"Yes?"

"It's about the Dursley's."

"I will advise them that there should not be any other visitor-"

"No. Albus…I'm not taking them back there." Moria interrupted. "I'm not going to put Harry back into that family and let Max back there. Hell, I'm half-tempted to gain custody of their youngest son because of how they treat him." Moria snapped, before shaking her head. "But with Harry…I can't…I can't put Harry through that again. Protection or not, Lily and James wouldn't want me to keep doing that to their son."

"Moria…"

"Albus, please. I don't care what type of trouble I'll get into, but I can't keep sending him back there. There's enough protection at my place where he can be safe during the summer." Moria continued. Dumbledore observed her, glancing at Basilio whose expression was blank. Chelsea peeked from the doorway. She had been itching to leave, wanting to make sure that all of the medical supplies at the infirmary was in tiptop shape before students arrived. It was her first year here as an new nurse under Pomfrey, but now she was looking at her friend worriedly, not wanting to leave Moria alone. Whether it was because she wanted to comfort Moria or make sure the retired auror didn't kill her.

"…Very well…" He finally said gently and Moria's shoulders slumped and an expression of relief flashed across her expression. Basilio watched Dumbledore a bit more with a puzzled expression on his face, as though he couldn't understand Dumbledore before shrugging and looking at Moria.

"Thank you Headmaster." Moria replied with a tired smile and then turned to meet up with Chelsea. Basilio followed her, glancing at Dumbledore who seemed pensive.

"That's wonderful." Chelsea sighed in relief. "If he hadn't I think I would have charmed the bastard Vernon and Petunia."

"There wouldn't be enough charms in the world." Moria replied dryly, her shoulders seeming to slope as they walked as Chelsea shrugged. The Italian Auror frowned watching how exhausted Moria suddenly looked. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You alright?" Basilio asked in concern.

"Hm? Oh, yes. I'm fine…it's just hard to say no to what Dumbledore says sometimes. So it's exhausting." She remarked dryly.

"He means well." Chelsea offered and Moria nodded, but it was clear she was still very exhausted.

Basilio glanced at the two girls as they began conversing about the planning for the school. Something was bothering him…something he couldn't quite place. It might have been just the fact that or him, the Headmaster at their school had a very rough and gruff type of attitude and was one to demand attention in a rather loud and intrusive voice.

Albus Dumbledore didn't seem like that all, yet seemed to portray a strength that wasn't seen all too well yet could be felt.

"Moria, can I leave for a little bit? I want to go see Gia for a late dinner. He and I have some things that need to be discussed anyways."

"You sure you don't want to stay for dinner here? With your stomach I'm surprised it wasn't trying to eat Snape." She asked with a grin.

"I'll have to try it some other time. Besides, you know I don't do well to sit for long periods of time listening to speeches."

Moria chuckled and then nodded.

"Tell Gia I said hello." She reminded and he waved his hand as he walked back towards where Moria's office was to use the floo. Chelsea sighed dreamily.

"Merlin, look at that butt." She whispered.

"Chelsea Cavendish." Moria scoffed with a laugh. "Already on the prowl again?"

"Hey, you always have to keep your eyes open." She replied, grinning wickedly. "All the good ones disappear like that!" She added with a snap of her fingers.

"No they don't." Moria replied with a grin that echoed one of a fox. "You just don't look in the right places."

"This coming from the woman who is married to—quote/unquote—the bad boy of Gryffindor from her graduating year." Chelsea teased and Moria sighed as they walked around the corner and spotted the students walking towards the Great Hall. When she spotted her children, however, her smile slid off her face.

All of the children looked pale and were rather quiet in comparison to last year or the year before that…but Harry looked about the same color as Nearly-Headless Nick and he was muttering something to McGonagall who had a look of worry on her face.

She hurried towards her children, the thought of her husband and what a year this was going to be like disappearing into the corners of her mind.

* * *

"I still can't believe those creatures are going to be around our school." Ginny complained as they climbed the steps up to the tower. Max was quiet as she thought about everything. Would her father come here of all places?

Logically it wouldn't be wise; in fact it would be rather stupid and brazen.

However, if what her mother had said was true…

Max sighed, scratching the back of her head as Ginny stooped to pick up Merlin, the 1 year old cat yawning loudly and apparently wishing to be lazy and desired to be carried rather than walk. Normally Max would do so, but she seemed preoccupied with her thoughts.

"Hey Max, can I ask what you felt when-" Ginny began to ask but ran straight into the girl. "Max, what's-"

And then she noticed.

Max's bed and hers stood out from the other three which had been pushed farther away from them, the other girls trunks seeming to barricade their beds from the others.

"What the bloody hell?!" Ginny snapped, looking at Angua who gained a look of panic on her face at the enraged redhead. "What the hell are you three doing?"

"Precautions." Bonnie tersely replied placing a jersey into her dresser. "Never hurts to be too careful."

"Careful? Careful of what exactly?" Ginny stated coldly as she looked at Max's back, concern mounting. Max wasn't even looking at the other girls, now more focused on her bed.

"Careful in case Sirius Black gets in here. You never know what he would do, since his daughter's sharing a dorm with us. He might try to take her back and could kill us if he thinks we're in his way." Bonnie explained and glared at Max who was now continuing to drag her trunk to the corner her bed was in. Bonnie then looked back down at her books. "I suggest you move too, Ginny. No telling what will happen with a murderer's daughter in-"

Ginny slamming her trunk down onto the ground hard enough to where it nearly burst open shut the blond girl up. As she turned to look at Ginny, her eyes widened as she spotted Ginny pointing her wand at her.

"Another word and I'll have you sniffing bats for weeks." Ginny warned as Max set up her area of the dorm silently, but even from where she was standing, Ginny could see Max was shaking now. "Take that back."

"I-"

"I said take. That. Back." Ginny repeated angrily.

"I don't think-"

"Ginny, it's fine." Max replied softly, not bothering to look up as she finished placing her clothes into the dresser.

"No it's not!"

Max didn't answer instead she turned and began to walk to the door. She paused briefly at the door and turned to look at the other suitemates.

"I am curious though, Bonnie. If what you say is true, I wonder how he will react if he did go in here and saw how you all came up with this plan of yours." She explained shortly, before exiting. Ginny glanced at the other girls, to see their faces were all bloodless. She gave a huff and then hurried after Max who was goingdown the stairs silently.

"You should have made her apologize." Ginny hissed out.

"It wouldn't have done anything."

"Wouldn't have done-! What are you talking about?" Ginny asked angrily. "What she said was rude!"

"She would have apologized without really meaning it. So it would be empty. Besides, what she said is something I'm going to be hearing through out the entire year probably." Max finally said, turning to look at Ginny, giving a smile. But to Ginny, it was clear it was forced and she was struggling to keep her composure. "I'm going to have to get used to it right?" She asked, swallowing.

"It doesn't mean you have to!" Ginny adamantly replied.

"I suppose not…but to make things easier for my mother…I'm going to have to." Max finally said, swallowing.

"So you're going to suffer in silence?" Ginny asked. "Do you remember what happened the last time you did that? You didn't speak for nearly a year!"

"I know."

"But-"

"Ginny, I'll be fine this time. And if it gets worse, I'll tell you and Mum. I promise." Max replied.

"…I still think it's a bad idea."

"I don't want people to give my Mum grief because she tells them to knock it off and they think I'm using the fact my mother is a teacher against them. And I'm always going to run into people who are cruel. And I can't always stop it with attacking someone, a hex, or a punch to the face. Violence only bequeaths more violence." Max remarked. Ginny stared at her as Max smiled at her gently.

"Thank you though…for defending me."

"I'm your friend, I'm supposed to. And you might not be willing to put up a fight, but if I hear anyone making comments about you about your dad, they're sniffing bats. Understand?" She asked and Max sighed before nodding, and Ginny huffed before she stomped down the stairs. Max stared at her receding form before closing her eyes and opening and closing her hands, taking deep breaths as her face crumpled into an expression of sadness in pain. Then she sharply inhaled, her face changing back to a neutral expression before she hurried after Ginny.

She could do this.

She could handle this…she knew she could.

It was in her blood after all.

* * *

"Oi, Muraro!"

Giacintro looked up and spotted Basilio walking up to him. "Hey Bas."

"How are you?" Basilio asked sitting down, the chair creaking slightly a bearish grin on the man's face. Giacintro shrugged as he watched Basilio settle and wait for a waitress to appear. He was still confused however at the sudden arrival of Basilio. But it was a nice night out and he couldn't blame his friend to want to be outdoors rather than in a castle.

"Good, I suppose. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be-"

"Ssshh…secret remember. It'll sound weird outside here."

"True." Giacintro responded.

"Well everything's squared away with Dumbledore and Harry won't be having to go back to his aunt and uncle's house, thank Merlin. From what Moria had said about the last year in those letters and what happened this summer, I think she would have barricaded the door next summer after what happened this summer." Basilio remarked, pausing to ask the waitress for water and a plate of chips.

"Hm…" Giacintro agreed as he continued to read the files before sighing and placing the files away, going for his food. He cringed at the sight of his fish and chips. He really should try something new or by the time he got back to Italy, he'd be sick of fish. He lamented slightly at the fact there was so much food and he was going to have to waste it when he spotted a mangy black dog in an alley way.

"Here boy…here…got some…_**nice**_…fish and chips." He muttered, whistling to the dog that plodded over warily to him. He set the tin filled with chips and a partially eaten thing of fish and watched as the mutt devoured into it hungrily.

"Good dog. Eat up, this will probably taste better than the garbage you have to eat." He remarked as the dog continued to eat the fish and chips happily. Basilio chuckled before growing solemn.

"To be honest I'm surprised she let him manipulate her into letting him go there."

"It shouldn't be all that surprising in actuality. Even though she's healed, there has to be mental scars from her time with her uncle." Giacintro remarked. "And even if the scars had started to heal when she went to school and met her friends, they had to be torn back open when they died and her husband was jailed." He added and noticed that strangely the dog had looked up from the plate and had looked at him oddly at that, before returning to eating, but seeming to go slower as though to listen to what was being said.

"Perfect to manipulate, perfect for following orders. A perfect soldier. But she seemed fine when we met her. Did something change?" Basilio asked but Giacintro shook his head.

"No. She has always been good at hiding her emotions…or not recognizing them."

"Mhm… Moria was never one to show if something was bothering her." Basilio agreed and this time Giacintro didn't miss that the dog looked up, his ears alert and his eyes lively.

"…yes…" He replied, keeping a slight hold on his wand as he kept a slight gaze on the dog, who was just staring at the remaining fish and chips.

"…She said so herself…" Basilio commented. "That telling Dumbledore he wasn't going back was the hardest thing she's had to do, and not for the idea of leaving the that wretched family behind, because that was the primary reason for her going to tell Dumbledore that he wouldn't go back. She said it's hard to say no to the man."

"You don't get to live as long as that man does without picking up a few things along the way." Giacintro remarked. "Knowing the right buttons to push is one of those skills."

"You don't like him."

"No, I like him fine…"

"But…"

"But it's his methods that I don't like or agree with." Giacintro continued exhaling the smoke from his cigarette as he tossed another scrap to the dog though the animal now seemed uninterested with eating. "He may be a great wizard, but that doesn't mean his methods are always just as great."

"And those methods all circle around her?"

"I think they circle around Harry." He replied and watched as the dog suddenly hurried away. "He managed to convince her to leave a country she had never left before to the mainland and into a country she didn't even know how to speak the language, basically dropped her off, and left her there to figure things out. He used that as a basis to protect Harry. But from what? It would have been easier for her to have her magic sealed and her living as a muggle in England…no one would have known if she played it right, but he decided for Harry's sake was to leave the country. I don't know…it just…doesn't it feel strange."

"…It does. It makes me wonder what he knows and doesn't know." Basilio replied taking a sip of his water. Giacintro glanced down the alleyway the dog had run down to see it was empty.

"Yeah…and what he isn't telling anyone." Giacintro added taking a stab at his food.

* * *

Meanwhile Sirius stumbled forward as he shifted back into his human form, leaning heavily on the alleyway wall for several moments, before sliding down behind a dumpster, panting as though he had run a mile. His heartbeat echoed in his head and he felt as though something or someone had just tore his heart out of his chest. The man's words echoed in his head as he hid in the shadows.

_Moria…Moria…_

She was alive. She had been alive this entire time?

She had been raising Harry?

If that was the case, why had he seen Harry storming out of the Dursley's home…maybe it had been a visit? The person next to him easily could have been a friend he had acquired from school that wanted to tag along. But a more pressing question surfaced in his mind.

If she had been alive…why hadn't he known?

Had they been forbidden to tell him?

Hated him because he couldn't protect their daughter? Couldn't save her?

Had she moved on…believed he had actually betrayed James and Lily?

He swallowed roughly then pushed away and transformed into a dog again hurrying away. He knew what he needed to do…

And knew where he needed to go.

* * *

**W00t chapter is done! Okay so for the final part, please remember that Max had Harry's hood up when they left the Dursley's and it was dark. She also hid behind Harry when they noticed Sirius in his Padfoot form, so yeah. Hope you guys like the chapter!**


	13. Fraying strands

The school year was, as predicted, becoming a stressful one. It was bad enough with students, and some of the other teachers whispering around her about Sirius, but with the added stress of Snape following her like a lost child as though she would lead him to Sirius. Not like she would have even if she did know. And now with Hagrid wanting to drink himself to death because of something Draco had done, she was beginning to think she was going to gain a permanent headache, but she had hoped nothing worse could happen.

And then October 31st came along to prove her wrong.

Moria stared at the ruined background where the Fat Lady had originally sat. Now torn to shreds by Sirius in some attempt to get into the Gryffindor Tower.

Honestly if someone else didn't kill him, she was pretty sure she would find him and strangle him.

"What the hell are you thinking, Sirius?" She whispered, running her fingers over the destroyed painting.

"Mum…"

She turned to see Max walking up, looking at her with a pale face.

"Did Daddy really do this?"

"It appears so…" She replied gently, glancing up and spotting Severus standing there. Her eyes narrowed. "Though I don't know why in the slightest." She added, a bit louder for him to hear and he snorted, clearly not believing her. Suddenly Basilio was next to Severus, clapping his hand on the man's shoulder, nearly toppling Severus over with the hit.

"Come now Good Sir! We need to secure the area!" He called out, dragging Snape away. At this rate, Moria was becoming to suspect that giving Snape bruises the size of his hand was personal enjoyment for Basilio.

"Head Boys and Head Girls, take the students to the Great Hall. Until we secure the castle we will they will spend the night there. Professors, come along."

Moria sighed and dropped her hand from the torn painting and turned to follow Dumbledore.

"Moria, you are to remain here and aid Remus."

"Huh?" Moria remarked in confusion. "Shouldn't he be fine with the Wolfsbane?" She asked lowly.

"Just in case." Minerva responded. Moria was silent before nodding and turning to head to where Remus was. Just in case her arse. It wasn't like they hadn't prepared for the potion not working. And she wasn't the size of James or Sirius in their animagus forms, even if the other professors didn't know it. If anything the only thing she would be able to do was chase him and keep him distracted…but other than that there was very little she could do in a closed room like his office. It wasn't just in case Remus lost control.

They just didn't want her searching the grounds because they didn't know if she had been the one to let Sirius in.

She pushed her hair back in frustration, rubbing her forehead, willing the headache to end. It's not like she didn't know the other professors weren't all that keen on her being here with him out. She didn't mind occasional visits but the 'accidental' run-ins were becoming less and less accidental to her. She barely got to see Chelsea and out of everyone she expected her to be there. So lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize she had made it to Remus's office until she felt him guide her in. She sighed apologetically.

"Sorry if I came in late."

"You didn't." He replied kindly. "To tell you the truth, I was expecting you to come. What with Sirius attacking the Fat Lady…"

"They didn't want me to go out and secure the place. So right now, for five minutes I don't want to even _think_ of his antics." She groaned.

"Alright, alright." He replied with a wry grin. She rubbed her forehead again, trying to do just that.

"So…do you feel like the potion worked?" She asked resting her hands on her hips and looking at her friend, and it was clear to him she was near the breaking point.

"I think it worked fine. But we'll see when I actually change if you're going to have to do a repair spell tomorrow morning."

Moria snorted.

"Wonderful. Well might as well go get comfortable." She replied dryly and he chuckled.

"As comfortable as a werewolf in a classroom could be."

* * *

"This will be like one giant sleepover." Charlotte replied as she held onto Nysa's arm. Ginny nodded with a slight smile, glancing at Max who seemed to be lost in her thoughts, twiddling with a strand of her hair, pushing it back again and again. She couldn't blame her. Everywhere people were whispering and looking at her.

"Take a picture it lasts longer!" Nysa suddenly snapped lurching towards them with her hands tightened into fists, startling the students who immediately looked away. She grumbled something in Russian as Harry, Hermione, and Ron came up to them.

"You ok?" Harry asked and Max shrugged.

"I'm fine." She replied with a smile that was clearly fake. "Just fine."

"They really shouldn't gossip like that around you." Hermione remarked, clearly offended by it. Max shrugged.

"It's going to happen, I'll get over it." She replied, trying to look as at ease as she could. "So…did you find Geoffrey?" She asked, changing the subject.

"No." Harry replied with a sigh. "Apparently the Prefects all need to have a meeting."

"Yes, Prefect Geoffrey is needed to fan the ego of the Ravenclaw Head Boy." George remarked as he and Fred walked up with grins. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You two know full well that Geoffrey is sarcastic as hell to him. He just doesn't realize it."

"Oh we know." Fred replied with a grin. "But where's the fun in not teasing him about it?"

"Professor Lupin was really happy about Geoffrey being Prefect." Max finally replied with a sigh.

""Well of course Maxi." George replied with a grin. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree you know. Before you know it, we'll be able to skirt from all the rules!"

"You do realize that being friends with a prefect doesn't automatically mean you two morons get a free license to skirt authority correct?"

The twin redheads jumped, turning to see their slightly amused friend standing there.

"A-ah! Hi Geoff!" George remarked nervously.

"Hello Twiddle Dee. Hello Twiddle Dum." Geoffrey joked wryly, an eyebrow rising. "Relax, I'm not going to question what you two are frantically trying to make sure is neatly stuffed into your robes. This time at least." Geoffrey mumbled and both twins grinned.

"Hi Geoff. Any word?"

"No. Seems he managed to escape pretty quickly after." Geoffrey remarked blandly. "Dad was right that your father was one for the dramatics." He replied and Max managed a smile. "Anyway, it looks like they're separating the areas by houses…though I don't understand that concept other than possibly trying to keep a head count."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense."

"Well Harry, you better watch our Ginny!" Nysa teased and both Ginny and Harry's faces turned red, while Ron, George, and Fred's face went to suspicious.

"Nysa!" Ginny hissed.

"I don't mind…but…ah…I'm sure her brothers will protect her just fine." Harry added quickly. Ginny looked at him and Nysa took the opportunity to bump Ginny towards Harry who managed to catch her.

"NYSA!"

"Ta!" She called out rushing away in a cackle, dragging Charlotte away. Ginny looked up at Harry, her face the same color as her hair. Harry stammered an apology and helped her stand up straight and Max chuckled softly.

But then a familiar voice wiped that expression on her face.

"I bet you he was after Potter. Too bad he didn't get the chance." Draco called out loud enough for the group to hear.

"Malfoy…" Harry warned.

"Wonder what will happen if they catch Black!" Draco continued as though he hadn't heard Harry, and Harry looked at Max to see she was just staring at the floor, her hands now in tight fists and shaking profusely. "Betcha the Dementors will give him the Kiss. I hear it's one of the most gruesome things to watch. Say Max, you gonna watch your father get his soul-"

Whatever he was going to say next, was cut off by him yelping and when Max looked up, she saw that Draco was now covering his face, bats flying around them. But it hadn't been Ginny who had thrown the hex.

George stood there, his wand pointed at the Malfoy heir with a glare on his face.

"I wouldn't throw insults like that Malfoy. Might make you a bit batty." George warned as Draco waved his hands frantically in his face, scrambling away.

"Bloody jerk. Should have let me do it, George." Ginny growled.

"You were a bit busy with Harry, GinGin."

"George-"

"Batty? Of all the jokes you say, you choose that one? Pathetic." Fred replied with a huff, interrupting his sister's rant before it started, and turned to look at Max. "You alright, Max?"

"Mhm." She managed, though her expression left very little to be believed.

"Don't listen to what that prat said, Max." Ginny retorted. "He's just trying to upset you."

"I know that full well." Max replied, pushing her hair back with a sigh. "I'll be fine. Honest."

Hermione patted her back in comfort and Harry looked at his baby sister sadly, going over to her.

"Everything will be okay, Max. I promise."

She offered a ghost of a smile but as he and she walked towards where the Gryffindor's were going to be sleeping, he wondered if what he said was true. Geoffrey stopped Fred and George.

"Can I ask you two something?"

"Hm? What? Whatever you think we did, we didn't do it."

"Or did we?" George replied with a grin and Geoffrey rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"That's not what I'm asking. Though that has me slightly concerned." He amended before shaking his head. "It's about Max."

Both redheads perked up about that.

"Whether she thinks she's an excellent actress or not, I know full well it's wearing her down with all the accusations about her dad in the school. And knowing her…she won't tell anyone when she's getting at the breaking point. Can you two keep an eye on her? I know Harry and your sister are there too, and Hermione and Ron will help out, but there is only so much they can do."

"We'll watch over her. You didn't even need to ask." George responded quickly. Geoffrey looked at him for a long moment and then glanced at Fred before grinning and nodding.

"Alright. Now you two head back to where the Gryffindor group is. I might be not as strict when it comes to losing points, but Percy probably won't be as forgiving."

The brothers groaned and Geoffrey grinned.

* * *

"_You know you can go out and search if you want. You don't have to stay here."_

Moria glanced up and away from the window, her ears flicking as the werewolf looked at her with, for once, human eyes. Tired, but still, she could see the humanity in his eyes. She flicked her tail and rested her head on top of her paws.

"_I thought you were asleep."_ She chirped quietly and he shifted.

"_I was, but I can smell your worry. So why stay here?"_

"_It's probably better I stay. Snape already thinks you and me are in cahoots with Sirius."_ She chirped to him and he snorted.

"_You're worried about him."_

"_Of Snape? Please I could hang him from the flag pole on top of the tower by his underwear before he even knew what hit him." _Moria growled slightly, flicking her tail from side to side.

"_Not of Severus. Sirius. You're worried about him."_

"_He can take care of himself."_

"_Doesn't mean you can't be worried about him."_ Remus responded with a growl and a look. She shifted, flicking her tail.

"…_what was he thinking…?"_

"_I doubt I know that answer better than you."_

"_He already knows that he's at risk! What wonderful idea could lodged in his head that he thought this was a good idea!?"_

"_Sirius isn't exactly known of thinking about the consequences first before leaping."_

"_Don't remind me."_ Moria chirped in aggravation. He had never really been known to think things through, but still one would think he would have been smart enough to stay away from Hogwarts. _"What could he possibly want in the Gryffindor tower!? If there was anything of his from when we were here I would have gotten it by now…"_

"_I don't know."_

Moria was silent staring back at the window and at the full moon, laying her head back down, downcast. What was going on?

What was she missing?

* * *

"This is so unfair!"

"Professor Snape has taken it too far!"

"I have to go clean the bloody bed pans by hand! With no magic!"

Well this was interesting, Moria mused tiredly as she turned the corner to see Harry's DADA class storming away from Remus's classroom. She knew that Snape had volunteered to teach DADA when Remus was recovering, but she didn't think he would have done _that_ badly.

"What's with you all?"

"Professor Snape was the worst!" Ron exclaimed loudly.

"He couldn't have done that badly. He may be the potions professor, but he at least knows about Defense." Moria remarked and Harry angrily shook his head.

"He called Hermione an insufferable-know-it all, Professor!"

"He…" She trailed off stunned. "Why?" She asked, looking at the girl who was twiddling with a strand of her hair, her expression downcast.

"He gave us an assignment to write a two parchment long paper about werewolves because we didn't know how to distinguish a werewolf from an actual wolf."

"…Werewolves aren't until later in the year." Moria finally replied.

"We _told_ him that and tried to tell him that we're starting hinkypunks. Multiple times." Dean replied angrily. "And when Hermione told him the answers about the werewolves, he called her an insufferable-know-it all, Professor!"

Moria was silent, blinking several times and then her shocked expression settled into an angry frown.

"I'll go talk to Dumbledore. I probably won't be able to get the detention off Ron, but I'll see what I can do." She replied tersely and spun on her foot, storming down the hall. It was as though she had magically turned into Moses, as students and other professors parted around her in a wide berth as she reached the Headmaster's office. She snapped out the password and went through the entrance and to his door, knocking on it.

"Come in."

"Dumbledore, we need to talk." She said as she entered and spotted Snape sitting there. Wonderful.

"May I ask what is wrong?"

"I'm requesting to take over Professor Lupin's class during the full moon days." She replied coolly earning a stunned look from Snape, and a surprised look from Dumbledore, though he did glance at Snape curiously. "Professor Snape is not doing what was required of him."

"I am doing it just fine. It is not my fault that the Gryffindor students cannot comprehend simple instruct-"

"Oh so skipping ahead to a lesson about werewolves is considered simple instructions, even though you know just as well as I that isn't until the last part of the semester, Snape?" Moria snapped, and Severus Snape's mouth snapped shut. Dumbledore was silent, looking at Snape, who was now making it a point to not look at him. "Or were the simple instructions was when you insulted Ms. Granger when she answered your question by calling her an, and I quote 'an insufferable know it all' and her class went to defend her?" She replied coldly and the Potions teacher didn't respond. She looked at Dumbledore.

"It's clear that Professor Snape cannot let the vendetta he had against Professor Lupin when we were in school go Headmaster, and it will end up interfering with Professor Lupin's curriculum and schedule. I know just as much Snape does, maybe more since I was _**actually**_ an auror and fought against the Dark Arts. What I don't know, I will ask Lupin to tell me what to say and or teach. But as of right now I am now volunteering to take over his course whenever Remus cannot." She continued. Dumbledore was silent before nodding.

"I believe that would be wise." Dumbledore finally replied and Moria nodded tersely, giving Snape a glare that Molly Weasley would be proud of and then turned on her heel, and stormed out, running on fumes of anger. It didn't seem more than a matter of minutes that Snape was storming after her.

"Black!"

"Snape, I am warning you to walk to your own room." Moria warned as she entered her office, but he persisted.

"How dare you interfere-"

"How dare I?!" She snapped whirling around. "You are letting something that happened years ago threaten a man's job who has done nothing but be nice to you since then!"

"The students have a right to know, Black. Or have you forgotten what your husband nearly caused? What Lupin nearly did to me?"

"For one Remus wasn't in control of his actions at that point, and I don't deny what Sirius did was stupid, though to be perfectly honest, for a man who hated Sirius and his friends, you were a bloody moron to follow Sirius's instructions like a Imperiused moron." She responded evenly. "But I have to say, it became excellent practice for you, what with you following Voldemort's orders like a love drunk fool." She added and he jerked as though she had smacked him.

"Do not think you can use the fact I am married to Sirius Black against me, Severus. Just like you chose to serve the man who killed Lily, I chose to marry Sirius. By my free will." She explained turning back around and beginning to walk away.

"I wonder…why do you continue to protect him?" Snape drawled out and she paused midstep.

"I know what happened to you. I know everything about you." Snape drawled and slowly Moria turned; her face blank. She just felt anger beginning to build and build. He however, whether oblivious to her growing fury or not caring about it continued, staring at her as though she was nothing more than common filth.

"So I wonder why you protect the man that left you and your daughter, who went to go kill your friends...why protect a man who has done nothing for you for nearly a decade." He drawled out and her face turned to fury, her eyes narrowing, before she made an attempt to pass him.

"You don't know anything." She said. He however looked at her.

"I know enough to wonder why you can still even look at the girl's-!" He began to say but she whirled around her face bright with anger, storming up to him in fury, her hands closed tightly in fists, warning him to back off.

"Don't you DARE bring Max up like you have any thoughts of well-being towards her, towards either of them! You may be a teacher, but I'm not blind that you take your hatred to her father out on her. You've done so since she got here." She growled out. His mouth thinned.

"I am curious. You're willing to let that murderer near your godson and potentially kill him just because of your…affiliation with him?"

"Sirius would never harm Harry!" Moria argued, her fury now clearly seen.

"And how can you be sure of that?" Snape countered.

"I am sure because I know Sirius," she stated. "And why, all of a sudden, do you care about his well-being? You don't seem to have a problem with treating him like crap even though he is Lily's son. Or do you remember her?" she asked and Severus seemed to freeze.

"It must hurt. Every time you see him, you see James's face with Lily's eyes." Moria said, the anger and malice that she had held back for the previous weeks finally seeping out of those cracks. "And then he's with Ron, who has Lily's red hair and her loyalty, Hermione with her brains, so much like Lily's mind. I see you glare at them nearly every day. It must remind you what you lost all those years ago." She sneered.

"And in all honesty, I think Lily chose the better man when it came between you and James. You burned your bridges by yourself when you turned your back on her and chose to side with the Deatheaters. Yet you have the _gall_ to take it out on their son!" she growled out. "You may think you are this saint that defected from the Deatheaters and that that excuses what you did, but you worked for them before that! You worked for the monster that killed Lily and James!" She hissed out. He suddenly seemed to tower over her, and she could see barely held back fury in his eyes. She had crossed a line and she knew that now.

"And you married the man that sent You-Know-Who to them." He said slowly and with that turned around and started the walk out of her room. She stared at his fading figure, before rubbing the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes as she tried to force her anger down and rein it in. Well she had probably just given Harry and Max probably a list of detentions and loss of house points because of her outburst. She pushed her hair back as the headache throbbed back into existence and she wanted to do nothing more than curl up into a ball and forget everything that was happening.

If only for a moment.

* * *

"How did you already start the paper for DADA and finish it, Hermione?" Ron grumbled.

"I read Ron, how else?" Hermione asked, seeming to be thinking about something else. She glanced at Harry and he swallowed, looking away. She shrugged and then looked back at Ron.

"More importantly, why?" Ron grumbled.

"Why not? One less thing I have to do."

Ron rolled his eyes and they saw Moria walking past them. "Professor Black?" He called out, hopeful. "So…about my detention…"

"I couldn't get rid of that, Ron." She replied with a slight smirk, sympathetic as he groaned. "However I did manage to become the substitute whenever Lupin is unable to teach."

They perked up at that.

"Really?" Ron asked excitedly.

"Mhm. Which means you can send it around to your class that the paper is scrapped."

The redhead whooped at that and Harry grinned happily and Hermione groaned slightly.

"Drat, I was just about done too."

"Thanks, Mum." Harry replied with a grin.

"Then why were we even given the assignment in the first place? A waste of parchment is what it is…some teacher you are." Harry heard and turned to see Draco along with Goyle and Crabbe, grumble under his breath.

"The reason the essay is no longer required, Mr. Malfoy is because despite what the head of the Slytherin thinks, _**he **_is not the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts." Moria explained evenly, and Draco squirmed, his face turning red, as though he had not expected her to hear him or at the very least not chastise him. "It would do you well to remember that I am not deaf, Mr. Malfoy and nor will I tolerate that kind of behavior of any kind from any student in or out of class. Professor Snape is not the only professor here, and despite his knowledge of defense, skipping ahead is not what was asked of him in the curriculum that was given to the Headmaster by Professor Lupin." She explained.

"The paper is scrapped. Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded except for Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy? Is that clear?" She repeated and he glared at her.

"Yes Professor." He finally spat out and she gave a kind smile, which was immediately clear to Harry that it was false.

"Now I have to go talk to Professor Lupin, excuse me." She replied briskly.

"Wow…your mum is wicked, Harry."

"She's upset though."

"Upset?" Ron asked in surprise. "How in the bloody hell could she be upset?" Hermione rolled her eyes at that.

"Oh Ron, look at it from her point of view." She explained. "Her husband's on the run and everyone around her sees her as a suspect in his escape, it can't be easy."

"I guess…but…She'll be fine won't she, Harry?"

"…Yeah." He responded still watching Moria as she rubbed her forehead, a now growing habit of hers. He frowned a bit, wondering if there was anything he could do to help her.

* * *

Well that had ended horribly, Sirius mused dryly as he sat behind a large amount of brush and a tree just in the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, desperately hoping that no student would be daft enough to try and go into the woods. Currently it was working and no student had dared gotten close to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Going into the school just like that, slashing the portrait…he had risked so much. But when that orange cat had told him that the bloody rat was in the same dorm as his godson, he couldn't just help himself.

He knew he should be out of the school grounds by now…it was the intelligent thing to do. Honestly he should have left that very night and go back to the cave he had found. But he couldn't help willing himself to stay a little longer just outside the castle.

In honesty it was nostalgic sitting here. Where he and Moria had spent a majority of their hidden dates, studying, just being kids…it had been right here…in those walls. The thought of Moria made his heart twinge in pain, then anger bloom. If it hadn't been for Peter…Moria and him wouldn't have been separated and she having to move away never to speak to him…and Max...

How old would she have been? Max would have been…

_"Twelve."_ He thought bitterly. Maxine would have been twelve and would have been in her second year of Hogwarts.

But she never had that chance.

He remembered it vividly—Moria waving goodbye as she comforted Max, who even at a month old didn't like it when he went away as he left for a mission twelve years ago. Seeing Moria running towards him as he fought Peter, without their daughter. The feeling of total anguish filled his memory soon after and he grimaced, trying to force those memories away. It was probably that reason that Moria hadn't come to see him. It was a bitter irony. While he had survived…while his wife had survived…their baby had-

"Miss Black!"

His head snapped up, startled and he automatically turned slightly to see from beyond the tree he was hiding behind.

And then he spotted her.

A young girl who was probably only eleven or twelve stood at the edge of the forest, staring at the ground apparently. Her dark black hair was pulled into two low pigtails and, he realized, her grey eyes were trained on some flora that edged the woods. She flinched before turning sheepishly, a small smile on her face.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall?" She asked meekly, turning around and clutching her book to her chest.

"I do hope you are not planning on going into the forest." The transfiguration teacher asked, and the girl shook her head.

"No Ma'am. Just observing the flowers around the edge. They're pretty and well...you know." Her grey eyes twinkling, lifting her book slightly and McGonagall sighed, apparently knowing what that girl was going to say next.

"I am sure that Professor Sprout would love to have you draw her own plants, Miss Black. Now come along before I deduct points from Gryffindor." McGonagall implored and the girl nodded before following the teacher away. Sirius just stared at her.

_"M…Max?"_ His mind thought dumbly. No, that couldn't be. She had...he had been sure that…

Then the memory surfaced again. It had nagged at him earlier, but when he had reached Hogwarts he had pushed it aside. He had found it strange to see the second figure that had followed after Harry when they had left Privet Drive, the smaller one racing after him. The face had been covered by the shadow of the hoodie. He could barely hear that person over seeing his godson, but now…he watched as she hurried back towards the castle, in the same type of jog as that other figure and it hit him.

It hadn't been a friend of Harry's…or even a cousin.

That had been his _**daughter**_.

_"Oh Merlin…what have I done?"_ He thought looking up at the trees staring, rubbing his face harshly, as he tried to keep himself calm, or at least as calm as he could. But to him, calmness didn't come.

Max was here…Moria was here.

They had both been alive this entire time.

They had both been alive…which led to the question, why didn't they come?

Could it be true...did Moria really…

Did Moria truly think he was a traitor?

* * *

Moria had hoped that things would get better as the school year progressed. After Sirius had attacked the Fat Lady's portrait she just hoped that things would quiet down.

Harry had hoped so as well, and had been looking forward to the Quidditch match despite the horrible weather. And at the point where the thrill was at a high, Gryffindor was clearly winning, but not enough to where he could afford to lose the Snitch. He searched diligently, trying to ignore the growing shivers running up his spine.

And he spotted it. The tiny flash of gold rising up into the sky, Cedric chasing after it. He was close but Harry was closer and he soared up after the other Seeker and the Snitch. The crowd cheered, realizing what he was doing. Harry stretched for it the Snitch, a tight grin on his face. But just as he reached it, he saw the outline of the Grim in the clouds and then dark shapes flitting in and out of the storm clouds.

Dementors.

He desperately reached for the Snitch wanting now for the match to be over. He was inches away when the world around him went black and the woman's screaming echoed again in his head followed by cold, high-pitched laughter. It was then he realized dully that it had been his mother dying. He needed to save her. She was screaming for him wasn't she?

So engrossed in the final moments of his mother's life, he barely heard Moria's scream as he plummeted off of his broom and darkness flooded his vision and muted all sound and sight.

* * *

**I don't know, I think if someone had told another teacher with how Snape had acted during the one class, it might have changed. Who knows, benefit of fanfiction I guess. Also, there is no source that says they couldn't communicate if they were an animagus to other animals. I mean Sirius can with Crookshanks, so why not Moria and Remus? I mean Remus has his mind right now. XD Anyway...Read and review! **


	14. Dance Lessons

Moria wished she didn't have her mother's temperament so many times. Truthfully, she had wished that she had had more her father's personality. Calm, collective, endlessly patient, and always trying to see things rationally. And because of that he was always, always ready to look at things in a sensible manner, calm and always collected almost like ice. But no, if he was ice…she was like her mother: fire. Her mother was impatient, protective, raging, only calming down when someone had been burned by her words, and it was only then that she would apologize.

She wished she were like her father.

Because right then, she was a raging fire.

"What the hell happened Dumbledore?!" She snapped angrily outside the hospital wing. "You said they weren't supposed to go on the grounds!"

"I do not know what happened, Moria." Dumbledore remarked calm as ever and that did little if anything on killing her temper. In fact, it probably inflamed it further. "The ministry assured me they would stay outside the grounds. If I had to guess, I'd say the excitement of the Quidditch match was too much for them and they couldn't resist to feed."

"I knew this would happen. I _TOLD _you this would happen!"

"Moria-"

"So what now?! Every time there's a Quidditch match, we run the risk of a student having their soul sucked out and the rest basically becoming a happiness sucking buffet?! They shouldn't be here! You're allowing the most foul creatures on the earth to feed on the students!"

"You know as well as I do, I can't do anything about them. I don't want them here any more than you do, but I'm afraid Fudge has overridden me on this matter and my hands are tied."

"You're Albus Dumbledore, considered to be the most powerful wizard in the world if you're hands are tied and you can't use your own power to protect innocent children?!"

That seemed to strike a nerve in the aged wizard, as he seemed to raise himself up full height, but still calm as a cucumber.

"I am doing everything I can to ensure the safety of these students, Moria." He said in a voice that made her go quiet and if there were students around they scampered away in fright. "Do not forget that."

She swallowed, looking away, blinking repeatedly to push back the burning in them. She hated when he was actually saying stuff that made sense.

"Moria, I'm sorry that this happened." He repeated, softer again. "I will be speaking to the ministry about making sure the Dementors are under control, and if there is any other such a breach I will personally make sure Cornelius Fudge calls them off. You have to trust me, Moria. Harry is safe." He promised. She swallowed audibly staring at the wall as Dumbledore left. Her hands were shaking and the tightened into fists. She cursed and swung, slamming her fist into the wall.

And immediately regretted it.

"FFFFFFFFFF!" She forced herself to not let out a curse, as it probably would not end well if people found out she was teaching students any more curse words. Really, they were already looking at her strangely because she was now clutching her broken wrist and hopping around. She contemplated kicking the said wall in anger.

"I swear to Merlin, if you even kick it, I will leave your crumpled form on the ground." A voice interjected and she turned to see Chelsea standing there, in her matron uniform, and apparently could read minds. She glared at her friend who walked over, rolling her eyes.

"Not every day you see your friend punch a wall hard enough to break her wrist."

"Shut up. I'm stressed."

"Still you're punching a wall."

"Beats punching a person. Especially your boss."

"Touché." Chelsea replied, glancing up at Moria. "You look like you haven't slept in months."

"That wouldn't be too far from the truth." She remarked, wincing as Chelsea uttered a spell under her breath and a shooting pain went through her hand as her bones mended.

"What you need is a girls night out."

"The last time I went on a girl's night out I spent the night making sure Rosetta didn't go off with random dudes, and Florentia didn't emit hormones that made men horny. And prior to that Lily, Alice, and my girl's night included 'lets go do muggle things that will likely make Alice scream like a little girl' or staying up late watching movies. And no offense neither of those sound like your type of thing." She replied.

"True. Guess it has to be something friends say. Lily would have said something like that, I guess."

"You kidding? I think I'd be holding her back so she wouldn't maim Dumbledore. And likely James as well." She added after a thought and Chelsea chuckled.

"That's probably about right." She remarked.

"How's Harry?"

"Perfectly fine. He just has a few fractured ribs and possibly a concussion. Given how far he fell it could have been worse. I think Dumbledore's spell slowed him down to lessen the damage. We're keeping him here to watch over his concussion, but seeing as he's more upset he lost the match than nearly dying…" Chelsea trailed off.

The fact he was more worried about losing the match than the fact he had nearly plummeted to his death nearly made Moria laugh. Even if it was something so similar to what James would have done, it sure as hell didn't stop her from wanting to scream for worrying over a match that could have ended his life.

"…What should I do?"

"I think you should trust Dumbledore."

"No, not that part." Moria remarked. "What should I do with the whole Quidditch thing?" Moria explained. "Logically I should just have him pulled off the team."

"Logically, yes. But…"

"But he's just a boy. It's not his fault that all this is happening to him…" Moria stated with a sigh. "What should I do? I don't know what to do anymore."

"I think, you should buy him a new broom and let him stay on the team. However, I think Remus should teach him how to conjure a Patronus." Chelsea remarked, summoning a splint and some bandages. "It's clear that Dementors are going to affect Harry more than the average person. He should be able to protect himself from them."

Moria sighed.

"What happened wasn't your fault, Moria. No more than it was Harry's or Dumbledore's. It was the Dementors."

"I'm failing as a mother."

"You aren't failing as a mother. I think with how you reacted, it's proof you're succeeding as a mother." Chelsea remarked, holding Moria' now healed and bandaged hand lightly in hers. "Don't fret. Everything will be fine in the end."

"…I still need to go buy Harry a new broom." She finally replied reluctantly.

"Now in that regard, I have an idea." Chelsea replied wickedly and Moria looked at her.

"Oh?"

"Well Sirius owes Harry for at least twelve birthdays and Christmases. Just like he owes Max." Chelsea explained. "The man's loaded. I think he wouldn't mind his wife using his funds to purchase his godson a broom." Chelsea replied and then snorted. "Actually considering how Quidditch crazy he and James were, I think they'd be pushing you to do just that."

Moria stared at her friend and the snorted.

"Always with the plan, hm?"

"I'm a Hufflepuff. We are in the background and perfect for finding those solutions that the Ravenclaws can't find."

And to that Moria laughed.

* * *

Max sighed curled up on a bench as she sketched trying to keep calm and ignore the whispers as people walked by. She bit her lip as she flipped to a clean page and began to sketch the woman and everything that she had seen when the Dementor had entered the train.

There were similarities to her own face; she'd admit that, similar hair color and nearly the exact same eye color. But her face had a gentler slope to it, the bridge of her nose smaller and a bit more pointed up. Her eyes showed a kindness and love that struck Max as an inner beauty and yet…and yet she had a sadness about her expression as though the world around her was falling apart. It was so beautiful, yet so depressing.

She wondered why that of all things to come up, that one was the one to play out longer. She rubbed her forehead as she tried to clear her mind.

"Oye Black!"

Oh no.

She looked up and saw some of the Slytherin's of her year walking towards her. She stood up, collecting her bag and walking away.

"Where you going murderer spawn!?"

She didn't reply, just continued forward, but the Slytherin's seemed to be dead set on harassing her today. Must be a boring day, she mused dryly. She hurried around a corner

"Come on Black, show some more spunk! A daughter of a murderer should be a little bit more adventurous!"

She bit her lip and hurried down the hall, just wanting to find some place to escape. Finally she spotted a door and after checking, found it to be unlocked. Before the students turned the corner, she hurriedly entered and closed the door. She watched the shadows under the door stopped for a brief moment. She held her breath before the feet vanished hurrying away.

Max relaxed a bit, resting against the door. She had lost them, thank goodness. She then became aware of piano music and turned to see a boy probably Harry's age walking towards her, and that there were others there, staring at her. Shit…she was in trouble, wasn't she? Maybe people weren't supposed to use this room unless for specific reasons.

"Care to dance?"

"I…huh?" She began but squeaked as he grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the middle of the room. Her face turned bright, bright red as her knapsack, sketchpad, and pencils fell to the ground and he spun her around to the tempo of the music. She stammered in panic as he settled a hand on her waist, capturing her hand with his.

"U-um…I'm…I'm afraid there's been a mistake. I…I only took a few ballet classes. Not enough to…to qualify as being a dancer."

He was quiet and then suddenly spun her, keeping a grip on her hand and pulling her back. She blushed brightly.

"Funny. You're a natural."

"U…uh thank you?" She asked, her voice squeaking a bit. He smiled and for some reason, some strange reason, he seemed familiar.

"Is there something on my face?" The boy asked and she shook her head.

"No, you just remind me of…" She trailed off and sighed. "Never mind."

He spun her again and she was getting dizzy.

"So, you're Maxine Black."

"And how did you know my full name?" She asked.

"I think everyone knows you're name Ms. Black." The boy remarked. She gave him a look.

"Because I'm the daughter of a murderer?" She asked blandly and he grinned.

"Because you're the daughter of a professor." He replied with a chuckle.

"And only that?"

"GranGran makes it a mission that I don't judge people by their faults or their parent's faults." He muttered. "Says it makes people bitter, and I'm already a bitter grouch." He remarked and despite how flustered she felt, she laughed.

"Grangran?"

"My great-grandmother." He clarified and she managed a shrug.

"So…what is this?"

"Dance club. You can only be in here to dance. So seeing as you are trying to buy time to escape whatever you were escaping, this was the logical thing to do." He replied.

"And your name, may I ask oh smart one?" She commented.

"Aries Matlock, at your service." He replied, spinning her again and then dipping her slightly as the harp music dimmed and finally cut off. She jumped slightly at the sound of clapping and Aries straightened her moving away.

"Well…pleased to meet you." She remarked, pushing her hair behind her ear. He smirked and kissed her hand causing her to blush brightly.

"The pleasure is all mine." He remarked before letting go of her hand. She glanced over and saw some of the girls nearly swooning at him, but he seemed to be unaware, drinking some of water from a bottle. She pushed her hair again, before heading over to her discarded bag.

"If you want to ever join this club, we meet Wednesday nights." He called out and she turned. She offered an impish smile.

"I'll think about it." She responded and gave a slight curtsey. She glanced back one last time before heading out.

* * *

Merlin was an interesting cat.

Sirius had figured this out soon after Crookshanks had brought the year old cat with him as apparently he had been whining to go somewhere and wouldn't stop whining until Crookshanks had agreed to take him with him.

And currently he and Crookshanks were observing the other cat as he played with a moth. Or attempted to anyway.

"_What a disgrace."_

"Oh you're being too hard on him."

"_He's a disgrace of every cat known to mankind. He can't even hunt properly!"_ Crookshanks retorted evenly and Sirius smirked as Merlin crashed into a wall, chasing valiantly after the moth. It was a nice distraction from what had happened at the Quidditch mound.

"Now you are being too hard on him."

"_He's spoiled far too much in my opinion." _Crookshanks remarked to him, flicking his tail. _"Young Mistress Black is far too lenient in giving him treats and-"_

Whatever Crookshanks was telling him vanished in a roar surrounding Sirius's ears as he stared at Merlin in a new light. This was…this was Max's pet?

The young cat was his baby girl's pet. He wondered where she had gotten the cat. Had it been recent or was the cat something she had gotten a year ago? Why did Moria say yes to a cat?

During his musings, Merlin seemed to notice he was being given attention and mewed loudly, hurrying towards Sirius and flopped onto his back, belly exposed. If Crookshanks could, Sirius was quite certain he would have rolled his eyes as Sirius bent down and began to scratch the younger cat's belly.

"_Show some dignity, Merlin!"_ The older cat spat.

"_But I likes belly rubs!"_ Merlin meowed back in argument and Crookshanks groaned. _" 'sides, since when do you sneaks off? I bets you go for belly rubs too!"_

"_I most certainly do not! And we wouldn't have had to sneak off if you hadn't stopped me from catching that Rat Man!"_

"_I didn't knows Rat Man was bad, bad man. 'Sides, he went up Mama's skirt!" _The younger cat argued and Sirius froze.

"…What?"

"_When we backs home before school! Crookshanks went after Rat Man! I wants to help, but Rat Man ran to Mama and climbed Mama's leg before we gets him! He went all the way up Mama's back and-"_

Sirius abruptly stood fury on his face as his eyes nearly glazed over in rage.

"THAT BASTARD!" He all but roared in anger. Oh, Pettigrew was dead! He was going to be nothing a pile of dust once he got his hands on that slimy rat! Well it was clear the bastard had no problems using children as human shields! If it wasn't clear enough with him being the pet of a boy, running directly to another child to escape being captured…even if he hadn't known that Crookshanks was on his side.

"Keep an eye on him." Sirius growled. "If he goes towards Max again…"

"_He won't. He stays away from my Mistress and Merlin's mistress."_

"_Mama let's me sleep on her butt!" _Merlin exclaimed proudly. Sirius sighed. Good. At least Max was safe from Pettigrew in his rat form. Moria, if Pettigrew even went around her would be able to fight back if he was stupid enough to try and attack her. True he did have the advantage, as Moria hadn't really ever seen Pettigrew in his animagus form. Unlike him and James, Pettigrew had never transformed into his rat form around the kids. For Harry they worried he would have flung the bastard around, for Max they didn't know if she'd try to use Pettigrew as a binky. And he had never really shown Moria his form as often as him and James.

At that point, only he knew the truth.

And only he could protect his family.

* * *

Well the day had started out alright.

Sure, Max didn't exactly know _why_ Merlin had now been insistent on sitting on her butt nearly every waking moment, but she had learned to not push the issue with her insistent cat. Sometimes she wished she could talk to him, but probably would only listen to his tales of hunting mice and rats. Nevertheless, he was fine company and a perfect ear to talk to when Ginny wasn't there.

She had had a fine day…

Until she had run into Draco.

She had been looking for her new sketchbook as it had vanished when she had run into them.

"Well, well if it isn't little Black."

"Oh great…what do you want?" Max replied angrily

"What you looking for? Dear old Daddy?"

"Funny, if anyone would look for their father, I would think it'd be you, seeing as you can't go a day without contacting him." Max reported and judging by the stillness she had struck a nerve. Or pride.

Damn, she hoped it was his pride.

"Well I at least have a father."

"Really? I couldn't tell." She replied dryly.

"Think you're big stuff do you?"

"Draco, do you not have anything better to do?" Max asked walking around him to walk down the hallway. She'd look around for her sketchbook later on. "If not, kindly leave me alone."

"Wonder what's going to happen to your Dad, Max." Draco sneered as though he hadn't heard her and Max froze, her grip tightening on her books, her knuckles beginning to turn white. "I hear that they're going to give him the Kiss." He mocked and she flinched. "Isn't that the worst thing known to mankind? It's horrifying to watch isn't it?" Draco continued and Max seemed to be biting her inner cheek. Then straightening her back, she continued down the hallway, without even offering so much as a glance to Draco.

But as she turned the corner, she slumped forward and hurried faster down the hall, not even noticing the Weasley twins who paused in confusion. But the moment they saw Draco, Goyle, and Crabbe they frowned

"Little prat." Fred growled, making a move forward. George however made a move to follow Max. Fred looked at his twin brother, and then smirked.

"You go and make Max feel better, eh? I can deal with Malfoy by myself."

"Huh? But Fred-"

"Hey, I wasn't the one that made her laugh when she was mute a few years ago. That was you. I think you can handle making her laugh again." Fred responded with a chortle, earning a slight blush from his brother. Then he turned his attention back to the sneering Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe and cracked his knuckles.

"Oh I'm going to have fun with this."

"Don't maim." George remarked.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Fred replied with a smirk, throwing a few pieces of candies into the air.

* * *

Max exhaled loudly as she sat down at the top of the astronomy tower. Well…at least she hadn't punched him. Still…this was getting harder than what she had originally planned, but telling Nysa or anyone would likely get them in trouble. She leaned against the wall, staring outside and towards Black Lake, resting her chin against her knees. She didn't shift when she heard footsteps, but slumped forward.

"I'll leave in a few minutes. Sorry for intruding." She called out, rubbing her forehead.

"Nah, you don't have to." A familiar voice replied and she inhaled slowly.

"Hey George." She called out, pushing her hair back.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just something that Draco said upset me. I'll be fine."

"Well I hope so. Or you might start seeing purple."

"…Purple? What does that have to do with…" She trailed off as she turned to see that George's normally red hair was now…purple. She blinked several times as he stood there grinning.

He faltered a bit as she continued to stare before she snorted, covering her mouth in a vain attempt to stop laughing.

"What the hell, George?" She managed through her laughter. He grinned.

"Ah, see it worked."

"What?" She managed looking at him.

"It got you to laugh and smile." He replied with ease. She dissolved into laughter again, wiping her eyes a bit.

"I suppose it has." She replied as he sat down next to her.

"Don't worry about Malfoy. I think he's learning his lesson to leave you alone right about now."

"Oh don't tell me Fred's hurting him."

"Hurting? Never!" George boasted. "Pranking? Probably." He admitted and she laughed, wiping at her eyes again. "So? Feel better?"

"Mhm…thanks." She murmured, pushing her hair back.

"Everyone deserves a good laugh now and again." He replied, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "Even you."

"Hey…"

"You don't have to be this tough person all the time you know. I think any of us in Gryffindor can pretty much figure out that you're stressed. Just find any of us or your friends and vent if you need to." He continued. "And if Malfoy is stupid enough to try anything again, you tell me or Fred."

"Okay…" She managed and he grinned before he stood. "Well you and Fred will be easier to figure out who is who."

"Nah, the charm will wear off in a little bit." He remarked as he helped her stand up. She dusted her skirt off. "But I wanted to do something that would surprise you a bit and-"

He broke off when she moved forward and hugged him.

"Thank you…" She remarked in a small, tired voice and he smiled gently, patting her head.

"Come on. I betcha once Fred's done he'll be trying to find me." He remarked and she snorted.

"Two peas in a pod you two are." She muttered and he grinned.

"Well we are twins so probably at some point we were the size of peas." He replied and she groaned, shaking her head.

"Honestly…" She muttered but he couldn't mistake the smile on her face as the two left the tower alone, not noticing the soft glowing orb hiding in the rafters.

* * *

"My brain…is turning…to mush…"

"No one said it was going to be fun looking through these old tapes." Giacintro remarked as they went through the grainy images of the few CCTV cameras that had been around the area that the explosion had happened in. Tonks rolled her eyes.

"I know _that_. Still, can you blame me for thinking my brain is going to leak out of my ears in about 30 seconds. These images are horrible to look at."

"Agreed." Kingsley remarked. "And it's not like aurors didn't go over it."

"I'm not saying they didn't…but at that moment everything was chaotic. Emotions were high and it would be easy to miss something. Besides I want to look at all the evidence." Giacintro remarked, watching the flickering screen slowly. He spotted what he could only assume was Sirius, Peter and the Moria. People were scattering so it made it difficult to differentiate, but considering that the one image was running towards the other two, who were both stationary, it was a clear bet that that was Moria. Then a flash of light and when it finally cleared, the camera was jittery, trying to connect again. He could see debris falling, other cameras disengaging completely. And when the dust cleared he could see people lying on the ground, running, Moria was gone; through the window, if he remembered what she had said correctly. But through the chaos, he noticed something strange, a figure shrinking and then scampering on the ground away from the explosion, before vanishing completely. It was quick and because of the jumping of the screen difficult to spot and then the aurors and other magical enforcement must have arrived and shut off the bouncing camera because the screen flickered black.

"What's that?" He commented, rewinding the tape a bit.

"Hm? Spot something?"

"Maybe…don't know." He muttered pointing to the shape that ran away. Tonks and Kingsley frowned.

"It's probably a person that collapsed?" Tonks suggested. It was a good possibilitiy…people running away from a scene like that would make sense, but for some reason Giacintro didn't feel it was that. Something didn't make sense.

"Well Kingsley and I have our actual shifts in an hour or so." Tonks remarked and Giacintro nodded vaguely.

"Okay, I think this is a good time to end for today."

"What are you going to do?"

"I need to go around and ask some questions."

"Anyone in particular?" Tonks asked as she grabbed her coat. Giacintro nodded, staring at the frozen image on the screen.

"Yeah. One." He remarked pulling on his coat. He just hoped she would even talk to him about that night and her past.

* * *

**I mean Sirius had to be able to communicate to Crookshanks somehow right? Anyhoo tada~! Introduction to a character that was in my Harry Potter and the Fallen Time :D Also the purple hair bit was inspired by a fanart gift I had received on deviantart :)  
**


	15. Duels

Charlotte never enjoyed being in large groups. When she had been younger, it was merely because the amount of electric waves that everyone gave off coupled with always bumping into people caused her anxiety, discomfort, and more than a few times her being overwhelmed to where it sickened her.

When she had worked and developed on her abilities, and since coming to Hogwarts, the discomfort had significantly lessened, however that didn't stop her from wishing for peace and quiet.

Right then it was one of those times.

Charlotte sighed as she sat down, presumably in front of the lake where she and her friends normally sat, gliding her hand over the raised bumps of her homework. She had found it interesting that in some ways she was teaching teachers as well as her classmates of her life. And at least most of the teachers were accommodating. Well…to a degree. Professor Snape only begrudgingly agreed to have someone else write her homework for her after she had made it a point in her first homework by writing in her scribbles. After having to stay after and deliver her homework in a speech, he must have decided that telling her he wouldn't go easy on her had obviously needed some leeway.

Still she wished her mother didn't have to write all her books in braille again when she bought them. It was such a waste of money.

She blinked, looking to her left as she heard a huff and then footsteps, too quick and too many to be a person or even multiple persons. An animal most likely.

She could sense it, but it didn't stop her from jumping when a cold wet nose pressed against the exposed part of her knee. A woof sounded and she blinked.

"My, a dog. How did you get here?" She murmured setting her papers into her bag and after a bit of searching felt a furry head under her hand.

That's when she felt it.

The electrical waves that she had had to control when she was younger under the risk of puking if too many people with too many emotions were around her sparked. For animals, it was simple waves. Nothing complicated, as their emotions were easy to understand. Smooth and slow for relaxed, sleepy, or happy and frazzled, angry when upset, excited.

This wasn't like a normal dog.

The complexity of a human was intermittent, hidden behind the simple waves of an animal as though masked by magic.

Strange, she had only felt that one other time, fleeting as it was when she had walked with Ginny and had run into her brothers, but had believed it to be a fluke.

Maybe magical animals were different.

"Such a strange one, aren't you?" She calmly said, scratching behind the dog's ear. The dog seemed to tense at this. Strange.

"Charlotte?" Another voice, this one familiar called out. She turned and offered a smile to the disembodied voice.

"Hello Max."

"I see you made a friend."

"It appears so." She replied, noting the dogs posture change under her hand.

"Poor thing is half-starved." Max noted sitting down next to the Hufflepuff, setting her bag down and she sat back down on the log. The dog trotted over to her and sat next to her, looking at her. "Have to admit, I don't know a whole lot of dogs…even so…I wasn't aware that you had such a grey eye color in the variations…almost is my color." She commented.

"Truly?" Charlotte asked. "That is…strange." She admitted but smiled when she heard the dog bark and Max laugh.

"I guess you're taking that as a compliment…or maybe you're just trying to flatter me into giving you some food." Max suggested, rubbing the back of his ear.

"Do you have food?" Charlotte asked and Max looked at her.

"Originally I was going to have it for my lunch…but…" She looked back at the dog as he rumbled softly. "He's such a skinny thing…must be a stray." She said, her hand shifting to the scruff around her neck as if to check for a collar. Feeling none, and not really caring if she knew she was going to be hungry until dinner, went to her knapsack and opened it, pushing past her potion's book and DADA assignment. "Here we go. It's a sandwich." She said, unwrapping a still warm sandwich from a cloth. His tail began to wag faster.

"Hope you like it." She said placing it on the ground on top of the napkin. He began to devour it and she smiled, slowly picking up her sketchpad and began to draw the large black dog in small sketches, keeping mind of his proportions and size. Charlotte sighed, looking at her friend. He looked up at her and seemed to be staring in confusion, amusing Max.

"Honestly, drawing again?"

"It's my hobby."

"I wish you did a hobby I could help you with." Charlotte remarked and Max laughed.

"Oh don't think like that Charlotte." Max replied, shrugging before turning back to the dog. There was such a human quality to this dog that she had never really seen in other dogs. She finished a few sketches and showed them to the dog. Charlotte seemed to have lost interest and was staring out into the hills. Max shrugged to herself before focusing her attention back to the dog.

"Pretty good eh?" she asked and he barked at her, wagging his tail rapidly before going over and licking her cheek. She laughed loudly. "I'll take that as a yes." She said, wiping her cheek roughly, before rubbing his head gently. Suddenly she perked and turned. It wasn't long before he heard it too.

Footsteps.

"Shoo!" she hissed out worriedly as Charlotte shoved her books into her bag. "Go on…I'll bring you more food later." She whispered out. He nuzzled her cheek in what seemed to be thanks before taking off. However unknown to Max, he stopped just enough to where he was hidden. No way was he going to leave his little girl behind if it was someone meaning to hurt her. Charlotte seemed to still sense him, strangely enough.

The girl was rather strange. Scary to a degree.

Still how bad could she be if Max liked her?

When a figure appeared around the corner, Sirius blinked in surprise…but not for any good reason. Because the form that walked out of the brush and was now staring Max and Charlotte was none other than Snivellus.

"Professor Snape!" Max said, stiffening. "Um…hello…enjoying a walk?" she asked fiddling with a strand of her hair.

"Ms. Black, Ms. Barnes…what a rather upsetting surprise. May I ask what are you two doing out here?"

"Well…I'm enjoying the quiet sir." She responded. "It's easier to draw-!"

"Ah yes…that annoying habit of yours. You seem to have no trouble at all with doodling on your notes." He said and Sirius could see Max blush. If it wasn't for the risk of being caught, Sirius would have bitten Snivellus in that very moment. That bloody arsehole was actually messing with his daughter!

"Actually sir, she was coming to keep me company." Charlotte remarked. "I tend to wander where I shouldn't so my friends follow me to lead me back to the castle.

"Hhmmm…Ten points from Gryffindor and five from Hufflepuff." Severus said and Max balked.

"For what?!" she asked angrily.

"Five were for having your friend lie for you about being out here, the other five is for being out here at all, while the rules clearly state that you should not be out here by yourself Ms. Black, which Ms. Barnes also lost her five points from." Snape retorted and Max bit her lip angrily. However before she could retort anything they both heard a loud curse and then a large pile of mud slammed into Snape's face from his left side.

It was silent for minutes.

Charlotte seemed confused while Sirius was trying not to laugh from his hiding spot, and thankfully he could see Max clear enough that she too was trying not to laugh, even though her hands were covering her mouth, a the ends of a smile appeared. Snape, however, had paled in fury and had slowly wiped the mud off, turning towards where the mud had been flung as did Max who spotted. three teens standing there, all shocked, though the girl looked more shocked than surprised. Suddenly they bolted.

"Shit Adele! You just hit a teacher!"

"It's not my fault! You idiot, Aidan! Why the bloody hell did you duck!?" Max heard and watched as they vanished back towards the castle.

"Get back here!" Snape yelled out, glaring at Max. "Ms. Black, if you do not wish to convey to McGonagall that you will be losing ten more points added onto the other ten, return back to the castle immediately and escort Ms. Barnes back to her house." He warned. She nodded her head rapidly and gathered her books as he stormed off after the three other teens, yelling at them. She glanced into the forest.

"Max, come on." Charlotte remarked.

"I'll bring some food every now and then. Be careful okay?" she hissed out before hurrying away, grabbing Charlotte's arm and rushing away. Sirius sat there and watched until he was sure that both were safe. He sighed before he bolted off.

* * *

"So this is Professor Black's history classroom."

Moria blinked and turned around to see Giacintro walking in, hands in his trouser pockets. Her brow rose.

"Kind of surprised…"

"What, were you expecting pink and frills?"

"No, more of tools that would beat the knowledge into them. A few slingshots, a target for knife throwing…"

"What history teacher did you have that had that in there?" She asked with a laugh.

"You never were in my history class at school."

"Please forgive my lack of slingshots."

"You're forgiven. Class looks fun enough I suppose." He responded.

"So what can I help you with, Gia?" Moria asked setting a book down.

"A few questions, first one is if you wanted to spar."

"…wait repeat that. You want to what?"

"Spar."

"Gia, not going to lie, but that is a stupid idea. I'd wipe the floor with you."

"You sound so confident, Black."

"Need I remind you that I'm a teacher?" She responded, crossing her arms. "And this isn't Italian grounds. I doubt the Headmaster would-"

"Dumbledore seemed to be all for it as long as we don't destroy the grounds."

"Which we have been known to do."

"Well the students need a little show of what an actual duel entails, not what that moron showed them. The one with the sparkly teeth."

"Lockhart."

"He could have been named Smith and I would still not care to learn his name."

Moria snorted, turning to look at Giacintro Muraro as he offered his smirk.

"Basilio won't interfere. It would be just me and you, like old times."

"Gia…"

"Basilio told me your stress is getting worse. Stress makes you sloppy."

"I beg your pardon?!" She asked, almost scandalized, which apparently he was hoping for, as he grinned.

"So? Getting too old are we? Three years and you're already off your game?"

"Did you and Nico switch bodies?" She grumbled. He shrugged, not deterred in the slightest.

"Getting under your skin is a talent all of us in our group had the luxury of learning." Giacintro reminded her. "Just like you learned to do that with us."

"…alright Muraro you're on. Ten minutes, or until one folds." She remarked.

"Understood."

"See you on the grounds." She stated and he mockingly bowed and turned to leave.

"Gia…what are you doing here exactly?"

"If you make it through our duel, I'll tell you."

"Smart arse."

"As always."

* * *

"Um Harry...what is Professor Black doing?"

Harry blinked and looked up in surprise at the question before following Ron's gaze and saw Moria standing in the field, directly in front of her was Giacintro. Both had serious expressions on.

"Come on, let's go find out." He stated hurrying down the stairs.

"Remember, minimum damage Gia. We don't want to get in trouble with the British authorities."

"Minimum damage. Got it."

"Now the rules of this match is…well I guess there aren't really any rules other than no killing, maiming, or doing maximum damage to surrounding area. Anything else goes."

"Mum?"

"Hey Harry." Moria called out, beginning to pull of her jacket.

"Um…what are you doing?"

"Going to teach Gia over here not to mess with me."

"So…a duel?"

"As close to a duel as we can make. But you know Gia and me." She remarked, pulling off her jacket. Harry could hear whispers of the now growing crowd grow louder at the sight of Moria's tattoos: on her right arm was a phoenix with a dog, deer, and moon, while on her left shoulder was the refurbished tattoo of a rose, but now with a lily and a violet.

Memories of those in her past, Moria had told him and Max when she had shown them off.

"The tattoos are new." Giacintro commented, pulling off his own jacket and shirt, leaving him in his undershirt.

"Yes they are. Rather attached to them." She teased grinning as she heard girls whispering. "You're going to get a following soon, Gia."

"Pre-teen hormones and such." He agreed, rolling his shoulders to get rid of stiffness. Harry glanced around and saw girls were growing in number in the crowd, all whispering and giggling. He rolled his eyes watching as Moria and Giacintro separated going to opposite sides, lifting their wands up before bowing.

"BEGIN!"

And it was like the air charged.

Giacintro rushed forward as Moria swung her wand, an arch of magic shooting towards the Italian auror, who ducked still running towards her. He swung a fist that Moria easily caught. She grinned.

And smashed a foot into his chest, sending him backwards.

As she pivoted she swung another spell at him. He retaliated quickly still stumbling backwards and his spell split through hers aimed towards her. She dodged it, running towards him as he mirrored her and then slid to a stop in front of one another, wand arms under their chins. They grinned at one another. Moria swung up and with a vicious crack, sent Giacintro flying into the air, crashing into a nearby tree.

"Come on, this old timer is kicking your behind back to Italy at this rate!" Moria taunted before a spell slammed into her and she flew backwards, bouncing once, twice and then slid, her feet dragging into the earth. Once she received solid footing she rushed forward.

"Lousy, cheap shot!" She snapped jumping as she avoided spell after spell, throwing ones of her own. They rushed towards one another full speed.

The growing group of students watched as their history teacher dodged and threw spells at the Italian auror, all while occasionally throwing punches and kicks. It was…well surreal.

Moria ran full force, changing into a fox as she leapt on tree branches and stones, running full force towards Giacintro. When she was close enough she transformed back into a human and tackled him, throwing him onto his stomach and yanked his dueling arm back, wand pointed into the sky.

"Yield yet?" She cooed and he grinned and then turned. She yelped as she fell forward, her arm wrenched up and pulled slightly up. "Now that's just rude. Picking on a harmless lady." She snapped.

"You are far from harmless." Giacintro wheezed and Moria grinned before pulling her feet up and swinging them towards Giacintro's head. He dodged but let go of her arm and she hopped away.

"You got that right!"

Giacintro growled and the pair rushed forward, wands at the read.

"TIME!"

And with that, the duel was over. Moria and Giacintro's respective wands pointed at one another, pressed into each other's cheeks, their eyes locked onto one another as they panted for breath. Steps ahead from the end.

It was silent in the audience as they all just stared.

That…was definitely not the British way of a duel.

But that didn't make it any less wicked.

They separated and walked apart from one another and turned, wands lifted and then both bowed.

It was silent before there was loud cheering and then students rushed forward, throwing a cascade of questions. Moria glanced at them and smirked.

"Have they not seen a duel before?" Giacintro asked as he was swarmed by 1st years. Moria just laughed.

* * *

She slid down on the ground, resting the back of her head to the wall as she regained her breath. That had actually felt refreshing to be honest. She had been stressed since the beginning of the year, having something to take it out on was nice.

"So good news, you haven't lost your touch."

"That is good news." She replied, her eyes remaining closed as Giacintro slid down next to her.

"Mhm."

"You still haven't answered my other question."

"Which is?"

"…Gia what are you doing here?" She repeated. "For real. Not just for a duel."

He shifted.

"Your husband…was there anything that others don't know about him?"

"He's not allergic to peanut butter. Just after his mother forced him to drink a potion that tasted like peanuts, he can't have anything that tastes remotely like that without gagging."

"Moria. That's not what I'm asking, and you know it." Giacintro replied, looking at her. She was silent, pushing her hair back.

"What do you want to know?"

"I'm reviewing your husband's case and I need to know things about him. Things that only people who knew him would know. I'm already planning on asking Remus, but you're one of the ones I need to ask as well." He stated. She looked at him her eyes wide.

"Why?"

"It's to see if there was anything that the Ministry missed in their previous investigation."

"You won't tell anyone?"

"If you don't want me to, I won't say anything to anyone, but if it will help me understand the man, then I need-"

"He's an animagus."

Giacintro looked at her as she stared at some first years attempting reenact what they had witnessed, gloriously failing.

"Well…I will admit…that wasn't something I expected."

"If you had known the Marauders and how close they were to one another, you would." She stated with a soft laugh, brushing her hair back. "What you should be surprised with is me even telling you that. I only found out on accident."

"I'll bite…why?"

"For Remus."

"Ah."

That needed no explanation to him. A brother-in-arms was a brother-in-arms, something both understood. When one needed help, the others would rise to the occasion. It had been something instilled in him as a young child, and only grew with what he was taught as an auror.

"Sirius, James, and Peter became animagus, unregistered to help Remus with his transformations. It was one of their secrets. Which means I have enough trust in you to not blab it. So if you so much as breathe a word about this to anyone…"

"My lips are sealed. You have my word."

"Thanks…"

"Besides, who would believe me?"

She chuckled.

"So, anything else?"

"Other than my husband was one of the most insufferable men you would ever meet…probably not."

"You seem to attract insufferable men into your life." He admitted and she laughed, shoving him gently.

"That I do."

"So what made Sirius Black different than others?"

Moria was quiet for a moment, contemplating then smiled.

"He made me laugh."

"He made you laugh?"

"Don't make it as simple as you are making it. When we first met, I wasn't into showing emotions…it wasn't because I wanted to, but with what I had gone through I didn't know if I could. Then comes Sirius Orion Black and he managed to get to me smile and laugh as though I had done so every day. It was refreshing…made me feel human."

Giacintro looked at her as she stared out towards the forest.

"Made me feel like I wasn't entirely alone."

"So you fell in love with him because he made you smile."

"Trust me, there were a bunch of other features that were added bonuses. He was handsome, smart despite what teachers thought, loyal, kind…" She trailed off and he looked at her then away. Her expression was lonely, raw but slowly being hidden away.

"And he made you smile." He finished gently and she chuckled.

"Yeah…he made me smile."

He smiled.

"You ever tell anyone that I fell in love with his smile, I will deny it no end."

"Not even to him if I ever get the privilege of meeting him?"

"Especially not to him. Merlin, he would never let me live it down. I have a reputation to keep you know."

"Oh yes, the stone cold woman with a rock for a fist."

A swift punch to his shoulder answered him.

"See?"

She smirked.

* * *

**So is anyone still reading this? Yes? Good! :D**

**Rip Alan Rickman :(**

**AND Read and Review please!**


	16. Brooms and Boggarts

"Harry! Hey Harry!"

Harry turned to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch.  
"What are you two doing?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well, Prongslet-"

"Wait…how did you…?"

"Geoffrey called you that once." Fred responded dismissively while George grinned mischievously.

"So, Prongslet. You wouldn't happen to know who Prongs is would you?"

"That'd be my dad's nickname, why?"

"I knew it!" Fred cheered. Harry blinked.

"So?"

"So…we have something for you. An early Christmas present for you, Harry," he said.  
Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it.

"What's that supposed to be?"  
"This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.  
"It hurts a bit giving it up, but since we know it by heart _and_ it technically belongs to your dad, we think we can give it to you!"

"A bit of old parchment belongs to my dad? Shocker." Harry replied dryly.

"_I swear your father was a brilliant man. Annoying, but still brilliant. Granted when he put his head together with Sirius, Remus, and Peter it was chaos."_

His godmother's voice floated through his head and he gave the piece of parchment a bit more of a look through. It looked ordinary but…

"A bit of old parchment!" Fred exclaimed, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally wounded him. "Explain, George."

"We nicked it from Filch after we got caught setting a dungbomb in our first year. Clearly it had to be something important."

"And you think it's my Dad's because…?" Harry trailed off, looking at the twins.

"Well think, what would your dad say to a parchment?"

"Say? What does saying have to do with-"

He paused again, blinking as he remembered in the past what Remus and Moria would joke about. He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, pausing for a moment as he thought up the words

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs  
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers  
are proud to present  
THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Astounded, Harry bent over it. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. Moria was wandering the halls, though she seemed to be headed towards Remus's office, Basilio close behind. As he continued to look, he noticed passages all intricately drawn out.

"Now, Filch knows about these four" Fred pointed out. "But we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in and is completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. And this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes."

Harry stared at the paths, wondering how his father and his friends had figured it out and when they had used it. The Whomping Willow one made sense for Remus, but the others…

He wondered what they had used those for.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," George sighed patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."

"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers." Fred agreed.

A part of Harry wondered if they knew who 'Moony' was. Something told him Geoffrey didn't ever tell them who his father was. Granted, thinking about it, as the twins would likely never stop bothering him for that, he probably had done it to save his sanity.

"Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it-"

"-or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly.

"Just tap it again and say, _"Mischief managed!"_ And it'll go blank."

"Um thanks…"

"We think that a child of the legendary Prongs deserves an heirloom." George responded with a grin. "So be good to it. It helped us out a lot!"

"I will...promise."

They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way. Harry looked at them and began to head out, looking at the map again and he grinned as he hurried towards the Gryffindor tower.

He needed to show Ron this.

* * *

Sometimes Harry wondered what he had done to not be able to get a decent night sleep on certain days.

"Oy! Presents!"

Today was one of those days.

Harry barely managed to lift up his head before Ron threw his pillow on to him. He grunted, blinking sleepily. Harry reached for his glasses and put them on, squinting through the semi-darkness to the foot of his bed, where a small heap of parcels had appeared. Ron was already ripping the paper off his own presents.

"Another sweater from Mum...maroon again...see if you've got one."

Harry had. Mrs. Weasley had sent him a scarlet sweater with the Gryffindor lion knitted on the front, and a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle. He quickly spotted an omniocular from Max, and another box from Moria, but as he moved all those things aside, he saw a long, thin package lying underneath.

"What's that?" said Ron, looking over, a freshly unwrapped pair of maroon socks in his hand.

"Dunno..." He muttered as he ripped the parcel open and gasped as a magnificent, gleaming broomstick rolled out onto his bedspread. Ron dropped his socks and jumped off his bed for a closer look.

"I don't believe it," he said hoarsely.

It was a Firebolt.

Its handle glittered as he picked it up. He could feel it vibrating and let go; it hung in midair, unsupported, at exactly the right height for him to mount it. His eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle, right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail.

"Who sent it to you?" Ron asked.

"Look and see if there's a card," said Harry. The red head did so as Harry just stared and stared, quite sure that the broom was going to vanish.

"There isn't any. Maybe your Mum?"

"I can't imagine her buying something like this for me. Even with Sirius's money."

"Well why not?! She's your Mum!"

Well yes but why wouldn't she put her name then? Besides I can see her present right there." Harry motioned to the box hidden partially covered by some wrapping paper.

"Dumbledore then?" Ron suggested, now walking around and around the Firebolt, taking in every glorious inch. "He sent you the Invisibility Cloak anonymously..."

"That was my dad's, though," Harry argued. "Dumbledore was just passing it on to me. He wouldn't spend hundreds of Galleons on me. He can't go giving students stuff like this…"

"That's why he wouldn't say it was from him!" said Ron.

"Ron, come on."

"I know," said Ron, controlling himself, "I know who it could've been. Remus!"

"If he was going to get a broom like this, don't you think it would be for Geoffrey?"

"Oh…right." Ron stated as Harry laughed. "Can you imagine how Malfoy is going to react to this? I can't wait to see his face!"

Both boys laughed loudly.

"What're you two laughing about?"

Hermione and Max had just come in, Hermione wearing her dressing gown and carrying Crookshanks, who was looking very grumpy, with a string of tinsel tied around his neck and Max wearing her pajamas, hair wild and Merlin, in contrast to Crookshanks, looking rather content in her arms as he pawed at the tuff of cotton on a floppy hat.

"Don't bring them in here!" said Ron, hurriedly snatching Scabbers and shoving him in his pajama pocket.

But the girls weren't listening.

"You got a Firebolt?"

"Mum got you a Firebolt!?"

The questions came simultaneously and he rolled his eyes. "I don't know. There wasn't a card or anything with it, so I'm not sure if Mum did get it."

To his great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited or intrigued by the news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bit her lip. Max glanced at Hermione and then back at Harry.

"What's the matter with you?"

"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, "but it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be quite a good broom, isn't it?"

"It's the best broom there is, Hermione," Ron argued.

"So it must've been really expensive..."

"Probably cost more than all the Slytherins' brooms put together," Ron replied happily.

"Well...who'd send Harry something as expensive as that, and not even tell him they'd sent it?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe someone from Italy?" Max suggested, though she didn't looked convinced.

"No…that wouldn't make sense. Besides we only really know the aurors and I can't see them pooling their salary for this." Harry responded.

"Who cares?" Ron interrupted impatiently. "Listen, Harry, can I have a go on it? Can I?"

"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" Harry and Ron looked at Hermione. Max bit her lip, glancing at her brother and back at Hermione before back to him.

"You can't be serious Max. You agree with her?"

"I think you should talk to Mum first…I mean-" Suddenly there was a screech as Crookshanks leapt at Scabbers hissing. Merlin began to yowl trying to free himself from Max's arms.

"YOU STUPID CATS!" Ron yelled as Scabbers squeaked and was Scabbers was huddled in Ron's hands. Ron then yowled after an attempted kick missed and smashed into his trunk.

"GET THEM OUT OF HERE!" He screamed and Max scrambled backwards with Merlin who was straining to get out of her arms. She glanced at Harry as she and Hermione hurried out, Hermione looking more than annoyed before Ron slammed the door shut. Harry then glanced at Ron and his pet. It had been a while since Harry had seen him out of Ron's pocket, and he was unpleasantly surprised to see that Scabbers, once so fat, was now very skinny; patches of fur seemed to have fallen out too.

"He's not looking too good, is he?" Harry said.

"It's stress!" said Ron. "He'd be fine if those big stupid furballs left him alone!"

"He seemed fine last year…" Harry tried to calm him down.

"That's just because Merlin was a stupid kitten! Now that stupid Crookshanks's corrupted him!"

But Harry couldn't help feeling that unless Scabbers had powers he had never revealed, he was reaching the end of his life. Rats weren't supposed to live that long and that was just a normal fact. And he knew that despite Ron's frequent complaints that Scabbers was both boring and useless, he was sure Ron would be very miserable if Scabbers died.

Well what a wonderful Christmas this was turning out to be.

* * *

Well that Christmas had been so wonderful and had ended so horribly.

Inwardly, Harry knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop him from being angry with her. He had been the owner of the best broom in the world for a few short hours, before McGonagall had taken it to be tested and checked for jinxes. Apparently Hermione had told her. Now he didn't know if he would ever see it again. He was positive that there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt, but what sort of state would it be in once it had been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx tests?

Ron was furious with Hermione too. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage. Hermione, who remained convinced that she had acted for the best, started avoiding the common room. Harry and Ron supposed she had taken refuge in the library and didn't try to persuade her to come back. They hadn't spoken to her for nearly a week since school started.

At eight o'clock on Thursday evening, Harry left Gryffindor Tower for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Today was the first day he would be learning how to defend himself against the Dementors; he didn't want to be late.

"Harry."

Harry continued walking.

"Harry James Potter!"

He yelped as he was grabbed by the ear and pulled back. He looked up and saw Moria standing there, her other hand resting on her hip as the other held his ear tightly.

"Now I'm hoping you're just trying to get to Remus's lesson and didn't hear me and it's not that you are ignoring me."

"I'm not."

"Really? Well now that I have your attention, you wouldn't mind telling me why you and Ron have been giving Hermione the cold shoulder?"

He flushed slightly before frowning, looking down as he rubbed his ear.

"You heard?"

"Even better, I have eyes." She replied blandly. Harry was silent for a few moments.

"I just can't believe she told McGonagall about the broom. It was the Firebolt, why would anyone do that?" He finally replied in a rush.

"Harry-"

"I mean who does that? Especially to a friend and-"

"Harry, she didn't tell McGonagall. She told me and I told McGonagall."

"You _**WHAT**_?!"

She looked at him.

"Harry, we don't know who it is from."

"But it's the Firebolt!"

"And it could easily have been jinxed in an effort to hurt you."

"But what if it's from Sirius?"

"If it's from Sirius, then I know he wouldn't have done anything. But seeing as I don't know if it's from him, I can't be sure."

"But Mum-"

"You know, for a boy that for the past two years has nearly died from two different incarnations of Voldemort, of which both times had an attempt on your life when you were on your broom, one would think you wouldn't be this surprised." She replied, crossing her arms. "Even more, one would think you wouldn't give your friend grief because she values your life over a broom."

His face turned bright red and she sighed, rubbing her temple.

"I'm not saying the broom won't be returned to you Harry, if there is nothing wrong with it, it will be. However, I'd rather not have to watch another match with you plummeting to the ground at the end. Each time that's happened a few years have been torn out of my lifespan, I'm sure."

He flushed again and she looked at him.

"I also hope that you'll think about your behavior towards Hermione. It's highly disappointing, and if you don't get your act together, you may not like the consequences. Brooms can be replaced. Friends can't."

Harry looked up at Moria as she turned and walked away before looking at his feet again and slumped forward, walking towards the DADA classroom.

It was dark and empty when he arrived, but he lit the lamps with his wand and had waited only five minutes when Remus turned up, carrying a large packing case, which he heaved onto his desk.

"What's that?" said Harry.

"Another Boggart," Remus replied, stripping off his cloak. "I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real Dementor. The Boggart will turn into a Dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practice on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like."

"Okay," said Harry.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine." He replied quickly, trying to sound as though he wasn't apprehensive at all and merely glad that Remus had found such a good substitute for a real Dementor.

"So..." Remus had taken out his own wand, and indicated that Harry should do the same. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic. It is called the Patronus Charm. Ever hear of it?"

"No. How does it work?"

"Well, when it works correctly, It conjures up a Patronus," Remus explained, "which is a kind of anti-Dementor, a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the Dementor. The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon, hope, happiness, the desire to survive, but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you, Harry, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it. I can tell you Moria barely could do it at first."

"Really?"

"Mhm. It took her several tries to complete it."

"What does a Patronus look like?" Harry asked curiously.

"Each one is unique to the wizard or witch who conjures it. Take your Mother and Moria for example. The two had similar personalities barring a few changes, but Lily had a doe while Moria has a dog for a patronus. Likewise it can change if the personality or reason for the ability of its summoning changes."

"And how do you conjure it?"

"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory." A single happy memory. Well…he thought back to Italy, remembering him and Max racing through the forest laughing without a care in the world.

"Have one in mind?"

"I…yeah, I do." Harry responded, swallowing nervously.

"Good. Let it fill you up. Lose yourself in it. Then speak the incantation: Expecto Patronum. Without your wand..."

"Expecto patronum," Harry repeated under his breath, "Expecto Patronum."

"Concentrating hard on your happy memory?"

"Oh right…" said Harry, quickly forcing his thoughts back to Max climbing up a tree, her helping him up until they got to the top and could see the hills and sometimes star gaze with Arian catching bats. "Expecto patron-no, patronum, sorry-expecto patronum, expecto patronum." Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas.

"Did you see that?" Harry exclaimed. "Something happened!"

"Very good," said Remus, smiling. "Alright. Ready to try it on a Dementor?"

"Yes." Harry said, gripping his wand very tightly, and moving into the middle of the deserted classroom. He tried to keep his mind on Max and Italy, but something else kept intruding...Any second now, he might hear his mother again...but he shouldn't think that, or he would hear her again, and he didn't want to.

Or did he?

"Alright. Concentrate."

At Harry's nod, Remus grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled.

A Dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward Harry, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and several went out. The Dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward Harry, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over him.

"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto -" But the classroom and the Dementor were dissolving...Harry was falling again through thick white fog, and his mother's voice was louder than ever, echoing inside his head.

_"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please - I'll do anything -"_

_"Stand aside - stand aside, girl -"_

_"Harry!"_

Harry jerked back to life. He was lying flat on his back on the floor. The classroom lamps were alight again. He didn't have to ask what had happened.

"Sorry," he muttered, sitting up and feeling cold sweat trickling down behind his glasses.

"Are you all right?" said Remus.

"Yes..." Harry pulled himself up on one of the desks and leaned against it.

"Here." Remus handed him a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had."

"It's getting worse," Harry muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time…and him…Voldemort–"

He trailed off as Remus looked at him, paler than usual.

"Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand—"

"I do!" said Harry fiercely, stuffing the rest of the Chocolate Frog into his mouth. "I've got to! What if the Dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!"

"Moria did warn me that that was your main reason for trying this charm." Remus murmured with a snort, before shaking his head. "Like father, like son I suppose. All right then..." said Remus. "Can I ask you what your memory was?"

"Me and Max when we would explore the forests around Italy." He replied swallowing the chocolate.

"While that's a good, it's not nearly strong enough." Remus replied gently. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on...That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough..."

Maybe it shouldn't have been something that was family related. Harry thought hard and decided his feelings when Gryffindor had won the House Championship last year had definitely qualified as very happy. He gripped his wand tightly again and took up his position in the middle of the classroom.

"Ready?" said Remus, gripping the box lid.

"Ready," said Harry; trying hard to fill his head with happy thoughts about Gryffindor winning, and not dark thoughts about what was going to happen when the box opened.

"Go!" said Remus, pulling off the lid. The room went icily cold and dark once more. The Dementor glided forward, drawing its breath; one rotting hand was extending toward Harry.

"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto Pat -" White fog obscured his senses...big, blurred shapes were moving around him...then came a new voice, a man's voice, shouting, panicking came echoing.

_"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off -"_

_The sounds of someone stumbling from a room, a door bursting open, a cackle of high- pitched laughter -_

"Harry! Harry, wake up..."

Remus was tapping Harry hard on the face. This time it was a minute before Harry understood why he was lying on a dusty classroom floor.

"I heard my dad," Harry mumbled. "That's the first time I've ever heard him - he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give my mum time to run for it..."

Harry suddenly realized that there were tears on his face mingling with the sweat. He bent his face as low as possible, wiping them off on his robes, pretending to do up his shoelace, so that Remus wouldn't see.

"You heard James?" said Remus in a strange voice.

"Yeah..." Face dry, Harry looked up. Remus was silent.

"Listen Harry, perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced...I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this..."

"No!" said Harry. He got up again. "I'll have one more go! I'm not thinking of happy enough things, that's what it is..."

"Harry…"

"What do you use for yours?"

Remus chuckled softly.

"I think about your father and our friends, and Geoffrey, especially when Geoffrey's custody was given to me. That he was going to be with me, safe and happy." Remus explained. Harry looked at him and then bit his lip.

"Okay…hang on..." He racked his brains. A really, really happy memory...one that he could turn into a good, strong Patronus...

Then in the back of his mind, so deep in his memories he didn't even know if it was truth, came to the surface.

He remembered being in the dark, it was cramped, the fabric of his nighty stretched and loose on him. He had awoken from footsteps above him climbing the stairs. Muffled voices, then yelling. Demanding to know where someone was.

He had cried out, annoyed and curious.

There had been silence…then footsteps and the door to the cupboard under the stairs opened, and it had been flooded with light.

And there, Moria had stood.

She was younger than she was now, but as always bruised, a bandage visible. And then he was in her arms.

And the first time since he could remember, he had felt safe. That nothing was going to hurt him in those arms. Right then he had been the happiest he had ever been. Happier than when he had received his first broom, happier than when Max spoke again, even when he had gotten his Hogwarts letter.

Because he was safe.

If that wasn't a happy memory…he didn't know what else there was.

Harry got to his feet and faced the packing case once more. Hoping that that would work.

"Ready?" Remus asked, who looked as though he were doing this against his better judgment.

"Concentrating hard?"

"Just do it." Harry stated, swallowing.

"All right…go!"

He pulled off the lid of the case for the third time, and the Dementor rose out of it; the room fell cold and dark -

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry bellowed. "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The screaming inside Harry's head had started again, except this time, it sounded as though it were coming from a badly tuned radio; softer and louder and softer again and he could still see the Dementor, it had halted and then a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of Harry's wand, to hover between him and the Dementor, and though Harry's legs felt like water, he was still on his feet.

"Riddikulus!" roared Remus, springing forward. There was a loud crack, and Remus was forcing the Boggart into the packing case and Harry's cloudy Patronus vanished along with the Dementor; he sank into a chair, feeling as exhausted as if he'd just run a mile, and felt his legs shaking.

"Excellent!" Remus exclaimed, striding over to where Harry sat. "Excellent, Harry! That was definitely a start!"

"Can we have another go? Just one more go?"

"Not now," said Remus firmly. "You've had enough for one night. Moria will have my hide if you try again."

He handed Harry a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate.

"Eat the lot, you'll feel better. Same time next week?"

"Okay," said Harry. He took a bite of the chocolate and watched Remus extinguishing the lamps that had rekindled with the disappearance of the Dementor.

"So you know, Harry, You'd have given your father a run for his money. And, believe me, that's saying something." Remus stated, glancing at him and Harry gave a weak smile.

"Thanks Moony."

Remus returned the smile and Harry left. He kept on walking, looking down at the ground.

"So how did it go?"

He looked up in surprise to see Moria standing there, holding a library book in her hand. Her face had a gentle look to it, one of mild concern.

"Are you alright? Patronus charms are a hard spell to complete and it's not expected to-"

She abruptly stopped as he moved forward and hugged her tightly. She blinked several times in surprise, before wrapping her arms around him, brushing his hair back.

"Harry?"

"Nothing…" He murmured. "Just a long night."

"I can imagine." She replied gently, brushing a hand over his head gently. He calmed slightly as she smoothed out strands of hair

"Mum, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"…What do you use to summon your patronus?" He asked and she smiled.

"Well other than memories of when I was in school, I particularly use memories of you and Max."

"Really?" He asked.

"Of course, really." She said smiling, brushing his hair back with a smile. "I remember your sister's and your first steps and words, I remember when you and her would play aurors.

"How come? I mean I probably give you a headache. Max too."

"With the amount of trouble you two get into, you do give me headaches," Moria replied with a chuckle. "But you also make me the happiest woman and in the world, even with the added headaches that you two somehow make me acquire more than your fathers ever managed. Memories are probably the strongest component for a patronus. And we have plenty of memories to choose from."

He smiled slightly and she ruffled his hair.

"Are you alright?"

"Mhm. I'm fine."

"Harry!"

Harry turned and felt his face flush slightly at the site of Ginny walking over, a look of concern on her face, though her cheeks were red.

"Are you alright? Ron told me that you were learning from Professor Lupin how to fight against Dementors."

"Oh I'm…fine…" He replied, painfully aware that Moria was now staring at the back of his head. Shit, his ears felt as though he was on fire, and they only grew hotter as he heard a soft snort.

"Well I'm glad you're alright." Ginny replied gently. Harry shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to say. He blinked and looked up at a slight nudge from Moria. She glanced at Ginny and motioned with her head.

"Um…do you want to walk with me back to the tower? I could tell you about it."

Ginny's head looked up so quickly, it probably would have flown off if the neck wasn't there, her face changing the color to a shade similar to her hair.

"R…really? But what about your…"

"Oh I'll be fine, just returning a book before Pince hexes me." Moria cut in with a smirk. "You two go on. Don't let me keep you."

"Oh…ok…" Ginny replied glancing at Harry who swallowed and followed Ginny as they walked back towards the tower. Moria smirked.

"Huh…kid's got more game than his father did at this age."

* * *

**Had to use a lot of resources for the Boggart part. Truthfully I was planning on using the movie version, but that's too short in my opinion and they left James's part out, so I had to find a resource online to get those line/scene right. I also changed up the memories...since you know, Harry actually has some happy memories involved in his life. And I added the scene with Harry being scolded by Moria for his treatment of Hermione. Because he damn well needed it XD**


	17. The Coming of Clues

Well it appeared that the patronus lessons had definitely helped Harry, Moria mused as she watched the gaggle of kids in the Gryffindor common room singing about defeating Ravenclaw. Even Ron and Hermione were talking to each other again because of it, after the debacle with Scabbers going missing and Ron thinking it was Crookshanks who had done it. Harry was keeping face hidden with a magazine, though even from where she stood, the tips of his ears were red. She smiled.

The broom _thankfully_ wasn't hexed, cursed, or jinxed and had been returned to him in time. She sighed, now realizing it probably had been Sirius who had bought the damn broom, though how he got the money was beyond her imagination. She rubbed her forehead, cursing his recklessness for a moment before shaking her head. He was just trying to get himself killed wasn't he?

Even if that was the case, Sirius had done an excellent job in broom choices. And even Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyles attempt to sabotage the game hadn't worked thanks to Remus.

It seemed the Marauders were still excellent at making snags in others plans.

As she thought about it, she had been surprised to see of all things, a stag, appear as Harry's patronus. He certainly was like his father, and her heart ached wondering how James would have reacted to that. She knew he'd have been impressed regardless.  
_"A third-year student creating a patronus, even if it was small was better than what I was actually hoping."_ She thought.

"Mum, aren't you going to join in?" Max asked as she walked up. Moria smiled and ruffled her daughter's hair.

"Fraid not. I have to head to my office and grade. Besides, you don't need an old coot like me to stay here."

"Mum, you're not old." Max refuted and Moria laughed.

"Keep that up sweetheart." She said, patting her head before walking out of the Gryffindor portrait. As she made the long trip back towards her she felt the anonymous gaze following her movement. She pressed her hand to her necklace. It couldn't…

She grumbled, rubbing the bridge of her nose, she was being paranoid she knew that. He couldn't be _that _reckless could he?

Knowing him, it really shouldn't have surprised her if would be that reckless. He would be trying to follow her around visibly if he wasn't in danger of getting caught. She couldn't see him or touch him…there was too much danger involved in that. And ironically, despite his actions being incredibly reckless and dangerous, which that in itself screamed 'Sirius' and made her want to hit him over the head, Moria liked to believe it was him watching her. Because it was the closest they had been together in years…because he was trying to keep his promise that had been broken for twelve years. That meant that neither Azkaban nor the Dementors had ruined his ability to love her and that she still had a chance to get him back.

_"Don't hope too much…it will hurt more if you hope too much."_ A part of her herself said. But she had to believe...

That was what kept her in one piece.

* * *

Giacintro rubbed the bridge of his nose as he looked at the layout of the buildings on that night. Each 'X' placed on it was where body parts, debris, anything that hadn't been bolted down had been flung to. Calculating them back had shown that, indeed where Pettigrew and Black had been standing had been the starting point for the blast.

Still didn't answer who had done it though. And to be perfectly honest, he was losing his mind trying to figure it out.

"Here."

He looked up and saw a cup of coffee. He glanced at Tonks.

"Thanks."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Why…I mean I'm really happy that you are, but why did you decide to review the case?"

"See, Moria always wanted to see things through, she always cared for us in the department. Didn't matter who it was, even if they were cruel…in her own way she cared about us. Now, when she needs us…I feel like she deserves someone to help her in whatever way possible. Besides, I owe her." He stated. She offered a small smile before sighing.

"Back to the case, any info on any muggles?"

"Not really. Only a few I could find…and even then there weren't a lot."

"Well…it never hurts to look at the list of muggles." He stated, picking up the parchment, groaning at how long this likely would be. "We'll start some interviews under the guise of an article."

"Think that would work?"

"Humans are self-conceited fickle creatures. If they have a shot to get into the paper, they will." He promised with a smile.

* * *

"_**It hurts…"**_

_Max shifted, sluggishly roused from her sleep. She brushed her hand over her face and slowly sat up, yawning. Everything was quiet._

_Too quiet._

_Where were Romilda's chain-saw snores? Or Bonnie mumbling something about cheese, or even Ginny changing positions every three seconds?_

_She looked up and let out a yelp as she faced dark shapes, that reminded her of the wax from those lava lamps that her mother had talked about, rising up and down, sliding around the front of her bed, all moaning, large white dots that she could only assume were eyes staring at her. She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry._

"_**It hurts…the darkness hurts…make it stop."**_

"_**Make it stop!"**_

_Max bit back a shriek as one grabbed her ankle, pain wrapping around the joint. Sadness, anger, pain swallowed her as the darkness began cry, its voice echoing around her. _

"_I can't…I can't help. I don't-"_

"_**MAKE IT STOP!"**_

_Suddenly, black tendrils wrapped around her wrists and ankles and pulled down, and suddenly she was falling into black, the screams ringing around her head._

She gasped as she sat up, a scream lodged her throat. She was…she was…

She was in her bedroom?

She looked around, her chest heaving, panting when she heard the familiar sounds of her roommates asleep. She then heard another sound, while familiar, didn't make too much sense.

Merlin's crying.

She looked at the door to see Merlin, meowing and clawing at the wood of the door. Romilda let out a snore and the other girl's grumbled in their sleep. Sighing she got out of bed.

"Max?" Ginny slurred sleepily.

"I'm okay…going to let Merlin out." She whispered. "Go back to sleep."

Ginny muttered something, shifting and likely burrowing back into the covers as Max opened the door and stepped outside with Merlin who meowed the entire way down the stairs. She grumbled.

"Honestly Merlin, what's got you all worried? Not like you had the nightmare." She grumbled, flopping onto the sofa. Surprisingly, everything was clean from the festivities before. It seemed the house elves had done the job right after everyone had left. Sighing, she flopped onto the couch, settling there as she watched Merlin explore, searching for something. She chuckled softly, before closing her eyes. What the hell was that dream about? She couldn't remember the last time a dream had been that…frightening.

She made a note to herself that she would have to stop eating chips before bed, even if they were available after a Quidditch win. Sighing, she ran her fingers through Merlin's fur as he mewed and jumped up onto the sofa next to her, curling up in a ball.

Her heartbeat had slowed for only a moment when a scream echoed and sent her heart racing again as she stood, hearing footsteps race down the male dormitory steps. She went around the sofas edge, letting out a yelp as a taller, older man rushed down the steps only to freeze when he spotted her, stumbling to a stop. She flinched when the hands reached for her. He backtracked, almost hurt.

Then silver eyes locked onto hers and her eyes widened.

"Daddy?" She whispered, staring at him. There was a glassy look in his eyes as she said that but then the sound of more footsteps.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and raced past her. She stood there stunned, blinking repeatedly as the portrait opened and shut. That…that was…

"Max?"

She looked up to see Harry and other boys racing down the steps, Ron white as a sheet.

"W-what? What's wrong?" Max asked, stammering.

"What's wrong?!" Ron spat out at her, startling her.

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?"

"I'm telling you, I saw him!"

Max blinked several times in confusion, looking at Harry who had a grim expression. A few of the girls had come down their staircase, pulling on dressing gowns and yawning as boys came down the stairs.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" Fred asked brightly.

"Everyone back upstairs!" Percy ordering, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke.

"Perce—Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went very still.

Max felt her heart drop into her stomach

"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron - had a nightmare-"

"I'm telling you-"

"Now, really, enough is enough!"

Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" Percy replied, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare-"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall stared at him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"I…I saw him too…" Max murmured, swallowing as they turned to look at her. "But, I don't think he would have-"

"She saw him too, see?!"

"Mr. Weasley, it could have been a nightmare that you both were having. He couldn't have gotten through the portrait hole."

"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw!"

Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath. "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.

There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.

"You-you did?" said Professor McGonagall. "But…but the password!"

"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!" Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.

"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?" There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.

* * *

"He did what?!" Moria asked, stunned. Remus was somber. "But…why would he attack Ron of all people? He's never even met him! The only affiliation he had was with Molly's brothers, and that was just at meetings!"

"I don't know Moria, but Sirius attacked Ron in his bed with a knife and cut up the curtains."

Moria groaned, rubbing the bridge of nose, trying to stop the headache.

"…There's more."

"Of course there is. What? They saying he took a swing at Harry before he ran out?" She asked.

"…It's about Max."

Moria looked up, her eyes narrowing.

"What about Max?" She asked and he exhaled, bracing himself for the reaction.

"….THEY THINK HE WAS TRYING TO DO WHAT?!" Was heard echoing from the hall. Figures in paintings scattered looking at the closed door in shock. Remus was trying to regain his hearing as Moria stared at him in anger.

"I know, I know. I think it's ridiculous too."

"They think he was trying to kidnap her?! That doesn't make any sense! Unless Sirius lost his memory of which side the dormitories are, or the fact that the staircase to the girl's dormitories turns into a slide if a boy tries to get up there, he couldn't have snatched her even if he was trying to do that!"

"She was downstairs when Sirius ran out. They think he confounded her to give him the password list and had her wait downstairs so he could snatch her when he finished off Harry. But Ron's screams ruined that plan and he had to leave her there."

"Sirius would never-"

"I know he wouldn't, Moria." Remus stated calmly, placing hands on her shoulders. "I know."

Moria rubbed her forehead exhaling loudly, her voice cracking at the end.

"I just want this to be over. Is that bad?"

"It's stress, Moria." Remus replied, pulling her close. She rested her cheek on his chest, exhaling shakily, resting his chin on her head. "It will work out, you know that."

"What if it doesn't?" She finally asked. "Remus, I don't think I can keep doing this."

"You can…I know you can." He soothed. "You're stronger than a lot of us put together and you have us. You have your brother. And somehow, someway, you'll have Sirius again."

She sighed.

"Now I understand why they kept you around." She joked, her voice watery. "That voice of reason is sometimes what is needed."

He chuckled.

* * *

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were sitting at the table looking at their stuff they had gotten from Hogsmeade. Hermione glanced up.

"Harry…Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle have surrounded Max." Hermione said. Harry blinked and turned. True enough, Malfoy and his lackeys had surrounded the girl who had just walked in. They were talking and then Harry saw Malfoy hold up a sketchbook. The sketchbook he had bought for Max that had mysteriously vanished.

And now he knew where it had gone.

"Give me my sketchbook back Malfoy." Max said, her voice even. Harry's hands curled into fists, and he stood up, advancing over to them.

"Oh why's that, Black? Is it that important to you?" Malfoy sneered, flipping through the pages. "Quite the artist. Maybe you should draw something of your Father's. Oh wait…the only thing you could draw of him are WANTED posters." Malfoy added and Max's face turned red in anger, her eyes filling with unshed tears. Harry at that point had reached her and was trying to push Draco away from her.

"Sod off, Malfoy." He heard Max say and it seemed to grow quiet. He turned to look at her and she was staring at Draco, her eyes hard glistening with tears. Draco was now staring dumbly at Max as though he didn't quite understand what she had said that to him.

"Come again, Black?"

"I SAID, sod off Malfoy. Go run to that sorry excuse of a father who was mixed up as a girl for years when he was your age, and tattle like a diminutive wimp. I don't bloody care. Now give me back my damn sketchbook." She hissed out and while he was still stunned grabbed her pad of paper out of his hands and bolted away. All of the students stared at the now empty spot that Max had been, stunned that the normally shy girl have said something like that to Malfoy of all people, though Gryffindor students seemed to be incredibly proud of the second year.

"Why that little-" Malfoy began to growl out.

"Mr. Malfoy, I do hope you will refrain from calling my daughter anything nasty with me standing right behind you." A voice interrupted. Draco turned to see Moria standing there, her arms crossed. "But considering that you've never really cared about that, you will be informing Professor Snape that because of you, Crabbe, and Goyle, Slytherin will be losing 30 points as well as gaining a detention for harassing another student. And if he has any complaints, kindly tell him to come and talk to me." She said and watched Draco's face turn red with anger before briskly walking off followed by the other two. She glanced at Harry and nodded. He rushed out and began to search for all the places she would normally be. She wasn't in her dorm, she wasn't in the loo (he had some of the girls passing by check), or anywhere that had a lot of drawing material…where-!

"The Marauder's Map…Harry, you're an idiot." He hissed out and went around the corner, pulling out the aged parchment. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." He murmured and slowly the parchment revealed the layout of the school. He looked around until he finally spotted the pair of feet with Max's name under it. Astronomy Tower. And to the Astronomy Tower he went, finally reaching the top. He spotted her quickly. She was curled up towards the edge of the opening, curled up, her face pressed into her knees. As he walked forward, he stopped to stare at a haphazardly thrown sketchbook on the ground and saw crude doodles that Draco and his friends had probably drawn in. There was a particular drawing of a dementor sucking the soul out of a stick figure. Disgusted, and making a mental note to buy another sketchbook for her, he walked over to her.

"Maxi?" he asked, walking up towards her. She didn't respond. "Maxi, come on…don't let what Malfoy said get to you." He said, sitting next to her. Max shifted and looked at him, sniffling.

"It's not just him…it's…" she trailed off, sighing slightly. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

"Max, come on…what's wrong?"

"It's everyone Harry. It's my roommates, my classes, some of the Gryffindor classmates, even the teachers, Harry. They all look at me with the same bloody expression.

Teachers are always watching when we're together, like they're convinced the moment they turn their backs I'm going to kill you. They think they're being sneaky about it, but they aren't. They give me the same look Fudge gave me. Bloody hell, Snape is actually a relief because at least his expression hasn't changed. He still hates me, but it's normal." She murmured, curling up further into a ball.

"You could always tell…"

"Tell who Harry? Dumbledore? Mum? Mum has to deal with the same looks, what good would that do? And Dumbledore has a little more to worry about than my problems." She snapped, rubbing her eyes. He sighed and pulled her to him.

"It's not your fault Maxi, ok? People are just scared and it's making them say and do stupid things."

She sniffled again, leaning against him as he rubbed her back.

"Things will get better." He promised. She nodded meekly. "I promise."

* * *

Moria was busily grading a paper when she heard a flurry of knocks. "Come in." she called without even looking up. She only looked up when a pair of hands slammed onto her desk. In front of her desk stood a very angry Severus Snape. Moria's eyes cooled.

"Ah…hello Severus. Fancy meeting you here. May I ask what you want?"

"An explanation as to why I discovered that I had lost 30 points."

"That would be because three of your students surrounded and harassed another student. Three students, ten points each. I assume you are good at math Severus." She said, crossing her arms.

"Favoritism will not aid your daughter Mrs. Black." Severus said in an angry drawl. "Nor will the fact that Mr. Malfoy's father had misgivings towards you gives you the need to treat his son any differently." He hissed out. To his surprise she burst out laughing.

"Oh what a riot. You are such a bloody hypocrite Severus." She said, a smirk on her face. "You do the same to Harry and to Max. Even more so to Harry. Now why would that be?" She asked. Severus's face stiffened, and his lips flattened into a line and he went to leave.

"Lily would have loved it you know…treating her only son, the last reminder of herself, like garbage from someone she once considered to be the closest bloke she had as a friend." Moria stated. Snape froze at the door, and Moria could see his whole form stiffen at the name before exiting and slamming the door shut. Moria sighed and rested her back onto the wall, closing her eyes and allowed the stillness to take over…and to drown her screaming thoughts with the silence, before going back to her papers and back to grading.

* * *

Giacintro was beginning to lose his mind. He hadn't made much gain with and right now was with Tonks and Kingsley to meet another muggle who had been at the plaza that had exploded. It was pretty clear to him that Sirius hadn't done it, but he needed a witness who actually saw it happen that wasn't connected to the whole conspiracy.

He knocked on the door, praying that this wasn't another dead-end.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Horton? Kennedy Horton?"

"Yes?"

"My name is Giacintro Muraro, columnist of the Bugle. I spoke to you over the phone?"

"Oh yes! Come in, come in." The older woman replied, gesturing. "I was honestly surprised when you called. Not a lot of people are interested in that explosion."

"We thought it'd be an interesting topic. And all we had previously was police records and wanted a different angle, ma'am." Tonks remarked and the older woman nodded sagely.

"So, can you tell us?"

"Well my husband and I were out for dinner when it all happened and we were doing some window shopping. Then there was this loud commotion and we turned to see two men fighting. It was curious, and rather disrespectful, so we assumed it was just some drunken rowdy people. Then there was an explosion and well…we were lucky to survive.

"Ms. Horton, do you recognize anyone out of this photo?" Tonks asked Kennedy. The elderly woman put on her glasses to look at a still image of all of the Order of the Phoenix. She looked like she was about to say no at recognizing anyone, however that soon ended.

"Yes, I recognize these three."

"Which ones?"

"Oh these three. The two men and the one girl." She commented, pointing out Peter, Sirius, and Moria. "They were right around there when the gas explosion happened."

"Were they?"

"Yes and it was all so dramatic! I think they were making a movie, what with all the yelling and screaming they were doing, and my it was wonderful acting!" Kennedy squealed.

"I see."

"They appeared out of thin air. The boys first though. The dark haired one seemed rather angry with the other one. Then the other one, the rounder one, started yelling about how the other one had killed two people." She tsked. "He was rather horrible at his acting, would have done better with a woman in that part. But then he tore off his own _finger_. Or at least a fake one." She said. While Giacintro managed to keep a cool face, he glanced at Kingsley and Tonks and saw that their jaws had dropped open.

"Well…that was some wonderful acting."

"Mhm. And then this girl appeared. She must have been hiding in the crowd and started running over to them. The one, this one." She said tapping on Sirius's image. "Looked really relieved but still sad. And then the chubby one began to laugh, and I saw him point a stick at the girl. The dark haired one, yelled something to the woman and moved towards her. But then the gas explosion happened and well…the poor things, they were right there. The portly one was right on top too. My husband thinks the IRA did that, but I don't know."

Giacintro finished writing that down and gave an easy smile that made the woman blush.

"Thank you Ms. Horton."

"Oh not a problem." She cooed patting his hand. A few minutes later they walked briskly out.

"Oh my God." Tonks whispered. "It wasn't Sirius! My Mum was right!"

"And it only took a decade and two years." Kinglsey sighed.

Giacintro was quiet however.

"What? What is it?"

"There's something bothering me."

"What? Do you not believe her?" Tonks asked nervously. Giacintro shook his head.

"No, I believe her. It definitely wasn't Sirius Black who caused the explosion. But one thing bothers me."

"What's that?"

"If it wasn't Sirius and it was Peter that caused the explosion to happen…where in the hell did Pettigrew go?"


	18. Tying Loose Ends

Max shifted in her seat as she looked around for Ginny, grumbling to herself as she spotted yet another teacher glancing her way. She didn't really understand it. Neville had been banned from knowing the password to the tower and would have to wait until someone came in. She on the other hand, had to be checked daily to see if she was under the influence of a spell.

One could only take so much prodding before she just snapped.

"Max?"

The called girl jumped, turning to see a familiar Hufflepuff standing there.

"Charlotte? I didn't expect you." Max said, taking the Hufflepuff's hand. "I was waiting for Ginny, but how are you?"

"I am well thankfully. I should be asking how are you, instead you know." Charlotte reminded her. "We haven't spoken for a little while."

"I know…I'm sorry. I've had…a lot on my mind."

"It is not a usual occurrence that one meets their father in the middle of the night."

Max laughed weakly, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"You aren't exactly wrong. How did you…?"

"Everyone has heard it." She replied, cupping Max's face in her hand. She smiled gently as she ran her finger over Max's nose. "It is as I suspected."

"What is?"

"Your nose. You and your father share the same nose."

Max froze, staring at her friend with wide eyes.

"I…how do you know that?"

"Simple, I spoke with him."

Max looked at her in a panic, before grabbing the blind girl's hand and dragging her away. Once in a secluded hall she spun around.

"You spoke with my father? How?"

"The night he came into the Gryffindor dorm, he escaped past me as I walked. It was only briefly though."

"Where were you going in the middle of the night? So close to the Gryffindor tower?"

"The kitchens. I craved some blueberries, but I must have taken a wrong turn."

Max let out a slight whine of aggravation.

"Charlotte, I know I say my father is innocent, but there is no telling why he's here."

"Yes, well it's not as though I was actively searching for him. He ran into me. I have an excuse, but it seems I was not the only one blind."

Max was quiet, stewing over the information.

"He apologized at least." Charlotte offered, her nose wrinkling slightly. "Though he should have apologized for his smell."

"He's on the run…I doubt he has time to shower."

"Still…"

"…how was he?"

"He was…thinner than is probably healthy. He had small cuts on his jaw line, so he's coherent enough to shave, though he didn't do it all that well." Charlotte explained gently. "Also his magic is not twisted or corrupt as I have felt in others, though frayed at the edges." She continued.

"Frayed?"

"There are scars and tears, but I cannot imagine that there wouldn't be after living in a place such as Azkaban. Otherwise his mind is intact, rather focused I can easily say."

Max was quiet, staring at her friend for a few moments before dragging the girl into a hug. Charlotte blinked, before holding her gently.

"Thank you…" Max murmured and Charlotte smiled softly.

"All will be well, Max." Charlotte assured. "I promise you."

"Are you all knowing?"

Charlotte chuckled.

"No, but my intuition speaks…and it is rarely wrong." Charlotte replied softly. Max was quiet, but pulled her friend closer into a hug. The Hufflepuff remained quiet, patting Max's head, as a mother would do for a child.

Max sighed.

"Thanks."

"Not a problem. Come on, I am craving strawberries."

"You and your fruit." Max said, but smiled nonetheless and followed the girl.

* * *

"I don't know, I mean do think that could hurt him?"

"All it would do is make Draco jump at any popping sound for the next few months. After all the shit he's been giving Hagrid and Max, added with what he puts Harry and the rest of you guys, I'm sure he more than deserves it." Nysa remarked as she and Ginny walked down the corridor towards the study hall.

"I guess, I mean he does totally deserve something."

"So we go with my plan? Think we can get something from your brothers?"

"Oh, I doubt they would mi-"

Ginny's response cut off as she crashed into a person walking in the opposite direction, falling backwards. Two hands grabbed her wrists and pulled her back up, her colliding into his chest. She looked up and felt her face begin to burn as she stared into green eyes.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention!" Harry apologized as Ginny pushed her hair back, trying to come up with an answer.

"No, no! It was my fault!" She replied hurriedly. Nysa could only fight back the urge to roll her eyes. She then shrugged and stretched.

"Well I think you're in good hands, Ginny. We'll discuss meetings of revenge later."

"Huh? Later? I mean I guess…"

"Good. Now Mr. Potter, it would give me the upmost pleasure if you would escort Ms. Weasley to wherever she desires. I have some transfiguration homework that I must finish and can't be tardy to my detention with Professor Snape. Ta!"

"Nysa!" Ginny called out but Nysa was running away at that point.

Awkward silence filled the air.

"So, I ah…"

"Do you want to head down to the kitchens with me for a snack?" Harry asked suddenly, gesturing down the hall. Ginny blinked. "My Mum showed me and Max how to get there, and the House elves are really polite."

Ginny blinked several times in surprise.

"Sure…if you don't mind, I mean." She added with a grin.

"It beats just sitting around in the Common room."

"Professor McGonagall still watching you like a hawk?" She teased.

"More so than usual." He replied with a groan and she chuckled as they went down the stairs towards the kitchen. Nysa watched from the corner with a smile, pushing her hand through her hair back before walking back towards the Slytherin dorms.

* * *

"Hhhmmm…perspective looks like shit." Max grumbled as she looked at the flower she had been drawing. Sighing, she closed her notebook, frowning in annoyance. She should have been in a better mood, especially since Harry had managed to get Gryffindor the House Cup. Still…

She blinked and looked up and around, frowning. No one was there and she sighed looking back at her transfiguration project. Lately whenever she sat here she felt eyes staring at her. She didn't understand why or how she knew this it was just-

"Hey you're that Black kid aren't you?"

"EAUGH!" she yelped turning and at the same time moving, falling off the log. She looked up to see a now startled a pair of Ravenclaw's. Her face turned a deep shade red. "S-sorry."

"Oh don't be." The girl of the pair said, smacking the boy that was standing next to her upside the head. She flicked her black hair behind her ear. "He may be Ravenclaw, but he's about as blunt as a caveman's tool. You okay?" she asked. Max nodded sitting up, patting her bottom and getting rid of the dirt. The girl stared at her with keen brown eyes before smiling. "That's good. My name is Adele Gelson. Half-blood. The bloke next to me is Aidan Fletcher." She said pointing at the brunette standing next to her, who was now glaring at Adele with piercing blue eyes.

"You know, you could be a bit nicer to me Ade." He whined and she glared at him. He however seemed to ignore it and looked at Max. "And you are? I failed to hear your name."

"Oh Maxine Black." Max said. "But you can call Max. Everyone else does." She said with a shrug.

"So did you see him?" he stated.

"Well…who?"

"You saw Sirius Black a few weeks ago, right? Luna mentioned it in passing."

"Oh…er…yes. Wait…you know Luna?" she asked, cocking her head.

"Well I don't exactly 'know' her. I've talked to her…sort of. She doesn't really talk about anything but the latest conspiracy or mythological animal." Aidan said with a shrug.

"Interesting though." He added and then Max recognized the voice.

"Weren't you the two who threw mud at Professor Snape a few months ago?" Max asked and Adele immediately turned crimson.

"It was an accident." Adele retorted quickly. "Besides Aries started it."

"Aries?"

"Aries Matlock. He's one of our friends. He's helping some of our classmates out with studying.

"I think I've met him before. Dance club?"

"Oh you got to see him in twinkletoe-mode." Aidan replied with a grin. "Yes, he puts us to shame for that."

Max laughed, before clearing her throat.

"Well…I better get going…I don't want to be caught by Professor Snape…he tends to be a bit meaner to Gryffindor."

"He tends to be meaner to everyone that doesn't wear green and hisses when they speak." Aidan said and Max chuckled.

"It was nice meeting you." She said with a soft smile, before quickly leaving. Now alone, Aidan smirked.

"She was pretty cute."

"And there goes the blood to your brain draining down to your trousers." Adele commented dryly.

"Oh sod off. You've got to admit she's cute." He said. He then yelped when out of nowhere a small stone ricocheted off his head. "What the bloody hell?!"

"Oh look. Even Mother Nature is telling you to drop it." Adele said. "Come on Romeo, we better get going before a tree branch mysteriously castrates you, or a bolder crushes you." She said, guiding the boy who was now glaring at her back towards the castle.

Neither noticed the pair of eyes that were staring at them, before turning away muttering under his breath. Max meanwhile hummed to herself as she walked through the path, pausing when she heard a shriek. Turning she saw Draco running away, bats flying around his face, and her nose wrinkled at the smell that came off from him as he rushed past her. Then she heard snickering and turned to see Nysa, Charlotte, Luna, and Ginny. She sighed.

"What did you do?"

"Oh nothing that he didn't deserve." Nysa replied. "If not for him harassing you, at least for him annoying Ginny's boyfriend and cheating in Quidditch."

"I told you Nysa, Harry is not my boyfriend." Ginny replied, her face turning a bit redder. Nysa snorted.

"No, but you want him to be." The blond replied and Ginny huffed.

"He has a crush on Cho Chang."

"Cho? Since when?"

"I don't know…I mean did you see him looking at her a few weeks during the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor game? I mean before Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle tried to sabotage that game."

"That my dear Weasley is the lovely thing called puberty. The years where any blood flow goes from up here," Nysa pointed to her head before pointing down her crotch, "to here."

"Oh gross!" Max groaned out as the other girls laughed.

"Now, don't worry about it. His supposed crush won't last much longer. If how he looked at you is any inclination."

"How he…oh come on, if he looked at me in any way, it's just as friends."

"Uh huh, right. So that would account for his red cheeks. He's just as jolly as Saint Nicholas." Nysa cooed teasingly.

"Maybe it's nargles." Luna suggested and the girls laughed. Max glanced towards the horizon, the smile lessening as crows flew in the air.

Something was happening.

She just didn't know what.

* * *

_"__It will happen tonight. The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight... the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. Where he will fail, another shall follow. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight... before midnight...the lost...will set out...to rejoin...his master...__"_

Harry swallowed roughly as he practically raced out the door, his heart in his throat. Out of all the things he had been expecting, Professor Trelawney suddenly entering a trance, gripping his arm in a vice-like grip and made what could actually be a prediction. He slowed, pushing a hand through his hair.

"Harry?"

He jumped and turned to see Moria standing there, confusion on her face.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm…fine. Just had a really weird experience with Professor Trelawney." He admitted. She sighed.

"Did she predict your death again? I can always tell her to lay off if that's bothering you."

"No! Nothing like that…" He replied before hesitating. "Has she ever been right?"

"Pardon?"

"Trelawney. Has she ever been right in her predictions?"

Moria frowned thinking about it, before shrugging.

"It's possible. I've personally never heard of any of her predictions being accurate. I mean when I first met her, she proclaimed that I would die within a fortnight. Clearly that hasn't happened yet."

"I guess."

"Harry…what did she say?"

"Just…she was talking about a servant returning to his master. But that doesn't really…make sense."

"No…it doesn't." Moria stated slowly. They were quiet for a few moments. "Harry…I don't think it's a good idea to wander around tonight."

"But Hagrid-"

"I know you want to be there for Buckbeak, but please for my sake, don't leave the school tonight."

"You're seriously scared of what Trelawney said?

"Harry, for once in your life would you just do as I say." She demanded, albeit harshly and Harry blinked before frowning.

"I'm not a little kid."

"I never said you were."

"So why can't I go to Hagrids'?"

"Harry James Potter, so help me…" She began to growl, before rubbing at the bridge of her nose. "Just please, do as I say."

He stared at her before frowning angrily.

"Ugh! Fine!"

"Harry-"

But he had already turned around and stormed away, going around Basilio as he walked by.

"Well that was short."

"That's how we argue." Moria replied tiredly. "But I have a feeling he's not going to actually listen to what I say."

"Oh?"

"He's his parent's child. And they were as stubborn as they were loyal." Moria explained, before frowning and then looking at Basilio. "Bas…I have a favor to ask."

"Hm? Yeah, what is it?"

"…Can you watch over Harry and Max tonight?"

"Max and Harry? Why, is something wrong?"

"I…don't know. Just…something is bothering me and I feel like something is going to happen. I need to visit Gia and then I have to talk to Dumbledore, before I go and keep Remus company."

"Moria?"

"Please. Just…watch over them."

"Alright." Basilio finally said, concern glittering in his eyes. She offered a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes and she walked away, heading in the direction of the closest Floo channel.

* * *

Why had she reacted like that? Trelawney had said strange things all year, probably before that, and it hadn't stopped Moria from letting him do things. Hell, she had been the one to say to ignore Trelawney's prediction about his death!

Annoyed, he pulled out the Marauder's Map, pointing his wand at it.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," Harry whispered, pointing his wand to it. A few moments later, the formerly blank piece of parchment was already filling with lines and dots moving all over the castle. He looked at the schematic's of first floor and saw Ron and Hermione's dots by the main staircase waiting for him but a third dot a little ways away caused him to pause. _**'Peter Pettigrew'**_, it read. That was impossible. Wasn't it? It took him barely any time to reach the DADA classroom and his office. Harry knocked on the door hurriedly and opened it before Remus managed to let him in.

"Harry, are you alright?" Remus asked as he looked up from a large pile of exams on his table. He looked terrible: pale, tired…Harry knew it was because it was going to be the full moon soon, but he couldn't remember when that was.

"Yeah, just had an…argument with Mum." Harry mumbled. Remus sighed.

"What was it about? I'll talk to her later about it."

"It's not really important." Harry replied, approaching the desk with the blank parchment that hid the map and placing it on top of the exams. "Do you know what this is?"  
Looking down at it, Remus chuckled and used his wand to reveal the map the same way Harry had done minutes earlier. "How did you get this, Harry?" he asked.

"I'll tell you some other time," Harry said quickly. "I…I saw something impossible in the map, Remus. Is it possible that the map is wrong?"

Remus looked up at him, even paler than he had been earlier. "The map is never wrong," he said. "Who did you see in the map?"

Harry took a deep breath before answering. "Peter Pettigrew. Wormtail. But that can't be. He was killed in the explosion wasn't he?" Harry asked. "That's what you and Mum always told us. That the explosion happened where he was standing."

The old Marauder didn't know what to say. "That's…not possible."

"It's what the map said…I thought I should tell you."

"Harry…I'd like to keep this if you don't mind."

"Of course you can keep it." Harry stated quickly, flushing. I better…go…"

Remus nodded before Harry turned around. "Harry, wait. Be careful, alright?"

The teen chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "I always am. But that doesn't seem to matter much – trouble finds me anyway."

* * *

"Auror Tonks would you mind?" Giacintro asked. The auror shook her head and he moved her to the spot where Moria likely had been.

"Now…this doesn't make sense. Sirius Black is there. Moria is running up to him here." Giacintro remarked after moving Kingsley to where Matilda Horton had said she had seen Sirius. "When the blast happened, Moria was blasted across the street into the shop. Sirius however was blasted only a foot or so south."

"Right…if Pettigrew was trying to escape Sirius, he would have gone farther." Tonks remarked.

"So that leads to the question as to why?" Kingsley remarked, his eyes flitting around the makeshift crime scene. "Why did Moria go farther?"

"…he wasn't aiming for Sirius." Giacintro finally realized. He turned to where Tonks was and could envision Peter Pettigrew's situation. He was standing in the muggle streets, Sirius Black advancing, all but ready to kill him. Moria Black appeared and was running to her husband, and it was likely the moment she found out, she'd be after his head too. Peter had made the decision to off both of the Blacks.

Because a husband was more than likely to rush to see if his wife was alright after being thrown a good distance than chase after him.

"He was aiming for Moria. He knew how to manipulate Sirius and Moria's relationship to benefit him. Hurt Moria, and Sirius would first check to see if she was alright."

"But the others…"

"He may have not meant to do that, or he may have had every intention of doing that."

"So…he blew himself up on accident?"

"A blast from a persons wand shouldn't blow up the caster as well, though." Kingsley remarked. "Unless it was done badly."

But Giacintro was staring at the wall, Moria's words echoing.

"_Sirius, James, and Peter became animagus, unregistered to help Remus with his transformations. It was one of their secrets."_

"He transformed."

"What?"

"Peter Pettigrew was an illegal animagus." Giacintro remarked grabbing a paper document of the street. "A creature small enough to hide away. A rat, or something to that nature, I'd say."

"How do you-"

"Long story." Giacintro waved away, looking at the files. "…Sirius has been seen at Hogwarts twice right?" Giacintro asked.

"Yeah." Tonks replied, frowning. "But the Ministry assumes he was after Harry and then maybe he was trying to take his daughter. He did attempt and managed to get into Grffindor's Tower."

"He stabbed Ronald Weasley's curtains. Not Harry's. Those two can be separated pretty easily. And if he had been trying to murder all of them so they couldn't raise an alarm, he would have gone first to the one closest to him. Instead he went directly to Weasley's bed."

"So?"

"…I don't think he was trying to go after Ron Weasley but something with Ron Weasley."

"What?"

Giacintro didn't answer again, contemplating. Ron Weasley had had that pet rat for how long now…and Sirius Black had only escaped after the image of the Weasley's had appeared…

"Oh shit."

* * *

***Rises from the dead***

**I llliiiiivvvveeeeeee!**

***crickets chirping***

**Hehe? Sorry I took so long with this...got to love writer's block .**


	19. The Traitorous Rat

It was unbelievable how, in a matter of hours, things changed. They had left the castle at seven just to pay Hagrid a visit, to comfort him, now, at nine, Harry was watching Ron, being dragged backwards by a dog into a large gap in the roots of the Whomping Willow, Ron fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight

"Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again. All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground, but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.

"Ron! Ron!" Harry yelled.

"Ron!" Hermione shouted too, helping Harry stand as they looked frantically at the hole.

Maybe they could-

No sooner did the thought begin to cross their minds a large branch swung forward and smacked them into their midsection, throwing them backwards. They stared at the tree, listening as Ron screamed again.

"Harry, we've got to go help Ron!" Hermione cried out.

"You don't think I know that? We have to go after him!"

Hermione shook her head. "We're never going to get through without help." She said but Harry shook his head.

"If that dog can get in, then we can too." Harry panted, trying to find a way through the brutal, swishing branches, but he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows. The trees limbs swung around, slamming into Harry and Hermione. They struggled back to their feet, Ron's screams fading further into the tree.

"Come on." Harry said, grabbing Hermione's hand and rushing forward. The willow's tree branches swung, slamming into the ground near them as they tried to run to the hole in the bottom of the tree, them dodging it.

"Move!" Harry yelled out, pushing Hermione away, nearly missing being hammered to the ground.

"Duck!" Hermione suddenly yelled out, sending herself to the ground. Harry looked up just in time to see a branch swing and slam into him, sending him backwards and his glasses flying off of his face. Hermione looked at Harry before looking back at the tree, narrowly jumping over a low flying branch. After watching it make a go around, she looked back at the tree only to have another branch slam into her midsection taking her with it as it rose up. Harry heard Hermione yelp, barely managing to dodge another smash by the tree as he felt around for his glasses. He could only hear Hermione screaming loudly as the tree swung her around. Frantically he searched for his glasses. Upon finding them he stood up, putting them on he stood.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled out, grabbing his shirt as she swung past, wrenching him off his feet and into the air. As the Willow swung them around, with all her strength, threw him into the hole. A few seconds later she came following in, crashing into him.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry." Harry grunted out, regaining his breath. He stood up, looking around for his best friend.

"Ron?" Harry called out, however they only heard a fading yell of panic and pain. Harry quickly helped Hermione get up and they covered the distance hurriedly trying to catch up to their friend. Harry had a vague idea it was leading them to Hogsmeade – he remembered seeing that passage signaled in the Marauder's map but Fred and George had said no one had ever gotten into it. Now he understood why.

"Where do you suppose this goes?" Hermione asked, following Harry.

"I have a hunch," he responded, "I just hope I'm wrong."

After several yards, the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Harry could see a bit of faint light through a small opening. He, and Hermione edged forward with their wands raised to see what lay beyond. It was a room: paper was peeling from the walls and there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it and the windows were all boarded up.

"I think we're in the Shrieking Shack," Hermione told Harry. He didn't respond instead looked around. They heard something moving upstairs and Harry nodded at the staircase at their right. Quietly as they could, they crept up the crumbling stairs. The duo looked around and finally spotted their red headed friend.

"Ron!" Harry exclaimed.

"Ron, you're okay!" Hermione said, relieved.

"The dog! Where is it?!" Harry said, "where's the dog, Ron?"

"Not a dog," Ron moaned, his face a sickly color, "Harry, it's a trap! He's the dog...he's an Animagus!" Ron exclaimed, staring over Harry's shoulder and pointing frantically. Harry wheeled around.

With a bang, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.

* * *

She felt awful.

Of course, she'd wind up with a bloody head cold. Why wouldn't she? She hadn't felt particularly great after her potions exam, but she thought she could push through the rest of the day.

Well, of _course_ that meant the headache was turning into a full blown cold just to prove her wrong.

Now she was headed to Pomfrey to hope that she could get something for this. Quietly she exited the Gryffindor tower and hurried down the steps, jumping over the last two, regretting it instantly as the world seemed to ripple, and sluggishly headed towards the Hospital Wing.

That is until she spotted Remus.

Not wanting to explain why she was out during curfew, and even less wanting to possibly sneeze on anyone, she hid behind a pillar, counting the footsteps as they walked by until they faded away. She waited a few extra moments, before stepping out from behind the pillar, only to scramble back as Snape hurried around the corner after Remus. She blinked, her brow furrowing. She hurried after them, her cold forgotten as she raced towards Hagrid's hut. She slowed when she reached the hill and spotted Snape freezing the limbs of the Whomping Willow, with a spell she couldn't hear. Moments later, he hurried into an opening at the base of the tree. She frowned and she made a turn to follow the professor. She squeaked when she was lifted up and backwards by her collar. Turning, she saw it was Basilio.

"Now, I know that it is past curfew for you." Basilio remarked, apparently curious as to where she was going. She frowned, looking away, sniffling. "And you aren't supposed to be leaving the castle."

"But-" She began to protest, before letting out a loud sneeze. His brow rose.

"You sick?"

"Just the beginnings of a cold." She protested.

"Then get back to the castle."

"But, I think Harry is down the tree!"

"Why would you think that?"

"Professor Snape went down there, and he was following Remus, and Remus wouldn't leave the school right now unless it was for a good reason, either because of Geoffrey or Harry. And-" she sneezed again, coughing to clear her throat, "and I know Geoffrey is at his tower."

"Max, you are in no condition to go against a tree."

"Please? Harry might need help." Max begged. Internally, he groaned.

"Fine, fine," he grumbled, "BUT you head over to the Hospital Wing. No dilly-dallying."

"Okay." She said, beginning to head back.

"Wait, how the heck do I get through the tree?" Basilio asked.

"I dunno. From what I saw Severus used a spell."

"Right...a spell…" Basilio remarked. "Okay, I can do that."

"Well...what could go wrong?" Max asked before hurrying away. He watched her head back to the castle, before looking back at the tree that was slowly starting to move.

Right...what could go wrong?

* * *

Harry stared at the man he had seen pictures of for years, and he could definitely see the resemblance between Max and Sirius, even if the man looked more like a skeleton than a human. And a bit more insane than what Moria described to him.

"Sirius?"

Sirius suddenly gazed at the boy in surprise, and thinking about it, it didn't much surprise Harry. He had been told multiple times that he was James's spitting image but with Lily's bright green eyes. "Sirius-"

"No, Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper, pulling Harry back as the dark haired boy made a step-forward, all while Ron struggled to stand.

Ron, spoke to Black. "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke. Something flickered in Sirius's shadowed eyes. "Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"

"I have no intention of doing so. Only one will die tonight."

"Guys, I already told you!" Harry hissed out. "He isn't-"

"Guilty, yeah right! Don't you think he's not that innocent since he took me then?" the redhead snapped.

"Well-"

And then came a new sound; Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor - someone was moving downstairs.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE! SIRIUS BLACK IS HERE, QUICK!" Black made a startled movement; Harry gripped his wand instinctively, but the footsteps were thundering up the stairs. The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Remus Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry, standing there with his wand pointed at Sirius Black, and then to Sirius himself.

"Expelliarmus!" Lupin shouted.

Harry's wand flew out of his hand; as did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black. spoke, in a very tense voice.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Harry looked quickly at Remus, his brow furrowing in confusion. He turned to look at Sirius again, noting the expressionless on his face. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered.

"Is he mental!?"

"But then..." Remus muttered, staring at Sirius so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless…" Remus trailed off and suddenly his eyes widened, "unless he was the one and you...unless you switched...without telling me?"

Very slowly Sirius nodded, staring at Remus.

"Remus," Harry interrupted loudly, "what's going on?"

"Figuring out what actually happened on that Halloween night." Remus replied.

"What happened that-"

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, if he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too, he's a werewolf!" There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Remus, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.

"Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle, and neither did Moria before you accuse her as well, and I certainly don't want Harry dead...But I won't deny that I am a werewolf. How long have you known?"

"Ever since I did Professor Snape's essay."

"He'll be delighted," Remus replied coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant... Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both! You-"

"Hermione, I already knew that!" Harry snapped, jumping in. "I lived with him for years, it's kind of hard to miss."

"But...If he wasn't helping Sirius, why else would Sirius lead us here and then Professor Lupin come after him?! I know because of Max-"

"It's not because of Max!" Harry argued back. He glanced back at Sirius, and was surprised to see him suddenly seem staggered, sinking onto the bed, his face hidden in one shaking hand.

"Sirius?"

"So he didn't betray Harry's parents to Voldemort?" Hermione asked, her stance never moving from Harry's side. She glanced at Sirius, clearly still skeptical. "He's not the reason they're dead?"

"No, it wasn't him that betrayed Harry's parents. But it was somebody who, quite recently, Moria and I thought to be dead."

"And who was that?"

"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

"Wait, Peter Pe-"

"Well, well, well," a silky voice intoned, cutting off Harry. All heads turned, zeroing in on the dark form of Severus Snape as he appeared out of the inky blackness of the hall. With a sharp flick of his wrist, Remus's wand and Sirius's stolen wand flew from their hands, and skittering across the floor. "What have we here?"

* * *

"FFFFUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKK!" The roar sounded as Basilio all but flew into the small cavern under the Whomping Willow, grunting as he landed, rolling a little bit. "Oh mio Dio, la mia schiena." He whined sitting up and looking around the cavern.

Who in their right minds thought that having a tree like the Whomping Willow in a school area was a good idea? Even if it had been there for ages, and even if it was used as a way to make kids stay out of this tunnel, there had to be better plants. Finally he sat up, stretching his back.

"'Harry might need help', she said. 'What could go wrong?' she asked." He grumbled under his breath. "The girl takes after her mother in more ways than one."

He looked up and saw stairs, grimaced, pulling his wand out, and slowly creeping up the steps. As he drew closer to the ceiling he heard the familiar sounds of arguing, and wondered if Max wasn't too far off base of Harry needing help.

* * *

"Severus-" Remus began.

"Save it," the Potions master snarled. "I warned the Headmaster that you would help your old friend Black, help him sneak into and out of the castle. Though I was wrong about Prescott. Pity. But at least I've caught you both together; I'm sure the Aurors are going to be thrilled."

"Wait a moment, Severus, you're making a mistake—!"

Black snorted loudly. "How like ol' Snivellus," he sneered. "Once again he sticks his abnormally large nose into other people's business and 'still' manages to come to the wrong conclusion! Now if you'll excuse us, Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to."

An expression of dark loathing passed over Snape's face, and before Remus could interject, he thrust his wand towards Black's throat. "Give me a reason," he hissed. "Don't think I won't do it…"

Black glared back at him, but remained silent.

"Nothing to say now, eh Black?" he said jeeringly. "You know… perhaps I should just give you over to the Dementors." A flash of fear flickered in the Sirius's eyes and the Potion master's smirk turned positively sinister. "Afraid are we? You should be – rumor has it they're waiting to give you a little… kiss."

Black swallowed deeply, his face paling even further.

Snape seemed to be enjoying himself, as he continued on. "Yes…I do believe that's what I'll do. I've heard that the Kiss is unbearable to watch, but for you I'm sure I'll do my best!" He turned towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione, his eyes narrowing as he assessed them. "You three – outside! Now!"  
However none of them moved. Harry seemed to be observing the trio. Remus was still trying to reason with Snape, his hands raised in a pacifying gesture. Sirius wasn't helping the situation as he had gone back to throwing out sharp insults at Snape…despite the fact that Snape still had him at wand-point.

"Severus," Remus said quietly. "Please, let us all just go back up to castle. I'm sure once we get there, we'll be able to straighten everything out—"

"We'll go back, with you two in chains!" Severus snarled, before glaring at the three students. "What did I tell you three? Get Weasley, and get outside! Now!" he hissed out, before turning back. Harry taking the opportunity raised his wand. At the movement Severus turned again.

"What did I tell-" However his lecture froze and his eyes widened at the sight of the wand pointed towards him. "Wha—"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry said, though to his surprise, it wasn't just his voice that echoed in the room, and watched as the spell hit the Potions professor head on, knocking him backwards into the old four post bed against the wall. The canopy above collapsed down on top of him, sending up a thick cloud of dust and debris. Silence descended upon the room for several seconds. He glanced back and saw Hermione and Ron's own wands were pointed at the teacher, though they seemed to be stunned at what they had done.

"We attacked a teacher! We attacked a teacher!" Hermione said soon after, her voice in near hysterics. Harry knew that he was probably going to get into loads of trouble but at this point…he wanted answers…and if Sirius was gone…then so were the answers to the questions that had haunted him for so many years. The answers that neither Remus nor Moria could give him.

"Wish I had done that...the bastard has been an ass for years."

"Sirius." Remus groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"Tell me about Pettigrew." Harry said, his wand still pointed towards the person it had just shot a spell at.

"He was at school with us; we thought he was our friend." Remus said. Harry frowned.

"But, Pettigrew-"

"…didn't die," Sirius finished.

"Moria and I thought that was what happened as well, Sirius...though Moria didn't think you had killed him. It wasn't until Harry mentioned seeing Peter's name on the map, that I realized the truth." Remus continued, looking at Sirius.

"The bloody bastard blew up a whole street full of muggles and faked his own death just so I wouldn't kill him for selling your parents to Voldemort."  
Harry stared at Sirius, comprehension filling him. "It… it was him? _He_ was the secret keeper?" Harry stuttered out

Sirius nodded. "I was supposed to be the one but it was too obvious. Then we thought of Moria…but that was the same. She and I were the closest to your parents…we were too obvious. And after Max, I wasn't sure if I wouldn't be able to not say anything if someone used her against me. I thought Voldemort would never come to Peter...but, instead, Peter went to him. If only I had just shut up and accepted…"

"He was our friend, Padfoot," Remus said. "We trusted Wormtail with our lives."

"Wormtail?" Ron asked, still clutching Scabbers in his hands.

"Our nicknames. You see, due to my...condition...my friends, your father, Sirius, and Peter became animagi."

"But you aren't on the registry!"

"Yes, but that would be because they are unregistered animagus." Remus replied with a smile. "They didn't want people to know _why_ they had become animagi."

"Really?"

"Yes. It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they did, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong, one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."

"But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They would sneak out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They would transform and then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them." Remus explained. "Moria did the same in their place...but it was never the same."

"Did she?" Sirius asked faintly, before running a hand through his hair, the hand shaking slightly. "That sounds like her…always protecting you when we weren't there."

"Which is why Snape was sure that she was helping Sirius?" Ron guessed.

"In a way. Even during our school years, Severus never really got along with her, even less so when she started dating Sirius." Remus explained. "His dislike of her probably magnified currently when she volunteered to teach my lessons during the time after my transformations. He had already fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons…"

"That was years ago." Sirius grumbled under his breath and Remus glared at him and Harry could finally understand his godmother's tendencies around Remus that the latter would always lament about Sirius and her being the same person.

"You see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me-"

Black made a derisive noise.

"It served him right," he sneered.

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Remus told Harry, Ron, and Hermione, ignoring Sirius, "he had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be...amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me."

"I didn't expect him to actually go…" Sirius replied, an argument that even after nearly a decade had passed, he seemed still keen on defending himself.

"Yes well, you should have figured Severus a little bit better...anyways...Snape tried it and if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf, but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life...Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was."

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"Among other reasons. It was something that our group kept quiet for so long."

"Okay, so that explains why Professor Snape hates your guts. Doesn't explain why you went after me!" Ron snapped.

"I wasn't after you! I was after the rat!" Sirius exclaimed angrily glaring at the squeaking vermin that was trying to crawl out of Ron's hands.  
"What do you want with Scabbers?!" Ron asked, panic laced in his voice gripping the rat tighter and to his chest. "Scabbers had been in my family for…"

"…more than a decade?" Sirius finished, glaring at the boy. "Awfully long for a garden rat, don't you think? He's missing a finger, isn't he?!"

"What's that got to do with it?"

Harry blinked several times, and his eyes widened. "All that was left of Pettigrew was..."

"A finger!Tore it off when little bastard betrayed us," Sirius said, approaching the boy who still sat on the bed where he had locked onto Wormtail's struggling form. He walked forward and grabbed the rat by the tail, this time Ron not even fighting, showing him to Remus. He tossed Remus his wand.

"Will you do the honors, Moony?"

"Of course," he replied.

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Ron asked in a panic.

"Show you what your rat really looks like, if he really is a rat, it won't hurt him." Sirius said, holding the rat in position for Remus. The rat squeaked and struggled and wrenched himself free from Remus's grasp and took off, evading the spells as he made his way to the door. Remus took aim and a flash of blue-white light erupted from Remus's wand and as Scabbers leapt to exit through the hole in the door. There was a squeak and a loud pop as a cloud of sawdust obscured him from view. Once it settled however, all three youths let out a startled gasp at the sight of squat, dumpy little balding man now struggling to get out of the hole. He was dirty and unshaven, his clothes just as tattered and filthy as Sirius' prison robes. He stared up at them with watery eyes, set deep in his saggy face; he twitched anxiously as he cowered, still slightly resembling the rodent he had just been moments ago.

The two other adults grabbed him, hoisting him to his feet. With a harsh shove from Black, he stumbled to the middle of the floor. He gazed up at the pair with wide, fearful eyes.

"S-Sirius…R-Remus..." the traitor stuttered. "My friends… my old friends…"

He made a quick dash to the door, stopped by Sirius and Remus who shoved him back. Sirius's face was pure rage and he seemed about to ready to launch himself at the cowering man, but Remus put an arm in front of him, giving him a look and Sirius ceased his movement. Remus then turned and looked at the man he had considered a friend that had died twelve years ago, his voice light and casual. "We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around in Weasley's grip."

"Remus," Peter gasped, "you don't believe him, do you? He tried to kill me, Remus…."

"So we've heard," Remus said, more coldly than Harry had ever heard him talk. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so —"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Peter squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black, and Harry saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too! You've got to help me, Remus!"

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," Remus replied calmly, though his eyes seemed to almost be glowing.

"Sorted things out?" Peter squealed. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" Remus asked. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Peter shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Sirius started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room and the three kids shuddered slightly.

"Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said. Peter flinched as though Sirius had brandished a whip at him. "What, scared to hear your old master's name? You should be. Seeing as I'm not the only one after you." Sirius taunted. Peter wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin.

"You don't believe this — this madness, Remus —"

"That you sold James and Lily to Voldemort?" Remus said quietly, softness mixed with a coldness that Harry had never heard before. Peter's face scrunched up and he seemed to crumple.

"I didn't mean to!" He wailed. "The Dark Lord. You have no idea the weapons he possesses! Ask yourself, Sirius! What would you have done?"

"I'd have rather died!" Sirius snapped angrily, taking a menacing step forward and Peter shrunk backwards. "I would have died before betraying Lily and James!" Having had enough, Sirius turned back to Remus. "What do you say, Moony, we avenge James now?"

Peter turned and looked at the three children.

"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.

"You wouldn't...you won't..." Peter whimpered before he scrambled around to Ron.

"Ron, haven't I been a good friend? A good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you? You're on my side, aren't you?"

"I let you sleep in my bed!" Ron yelled, yanking himself away from the sniveling man. Realizing he was a lost cause, turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.

"Sweet girl. Clever girl. You-you won't let them…Help me…" Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified. Peter knelt there, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Harry.

"Harry, Harry...you look just like your father...just like him..."

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" Sirius yelled, and Peter flinched. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry," Peter whispered, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched, ignoring Sirius's bellowing. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed...he would have shown me

mercy-"

Both Sirius and Remus strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them. He looked at Sirius pleadingly.

"Sirius, do you-you really want your daughter to-" Whatever plea he was going to say, it died at the look on Sirius's face.

"Do not speak of Max to me." Sirius growled. "Not after what you did to her! Not after you destroyed so many lives!

"I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you, Remus, and James. I never meant it to happen...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me-"

"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He — he was taking over everywhere!" Peter gasped. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terribly fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"

"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

"Sirius…Remus…p-please." Pettigrew whimpered out again.

"It's too late, Peter," Lupin said quietly, without a single shred of remorse in his voice or expression. "This is the end. You should have known that if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would." He paused, glancing over at Sirius. "Ready?"

Sirius nodded back, his expression resolute. "Together." His grip on his wand tightened. "On three -one… two…"

Peter sobbed loudly.

"Stop!" Harry cried out, stepping between the three of them. "Don't kill him!" he said. "You can't!"

Time seemed to stand still and the two adults turned to look at him.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Sirius told him, trying to pull his fury towards the rat...the traitor. "This filth would have seen you die too, without turning a cheek. You heard him. His own skin meant more to him than your whole family!" Harry froze. He remembered years back when Max had had a huge tantrum; Moria had seemed to calm her down when others couldn't. When he had asked Chelsea why, she had merely smiled and said that was because Max had her father's temper hidden under the layers that made Max's personality…and the only one that could quell Sirius's temper had been either his father or Moria. He just prayed that maybe if he thought about her, Sirius wouldn't be lost forever.

"I know," Harry conceded. "But my father wouldn't want his best friends to become murderers just for him. And I reckon Mu-Moria and Max wouldn't want that either. They've waited for you for as long as I can remember, and if you kill him, they'll lose you forever!" He said. Sirius face dropped as he heard that. From the moment he had seen Peter, Sirius had completely forgotten his promise to Moria. That promise had been broken for twelve years, and he was about to ruin it again by killing Wormtail. She deserved more than that…they deserved more than that.

"We can take him up to the Dementors and he'll go to Azkaban," Harry pleaded. "Please, Sirius. Don't give up everything for that traitor."

He sighed and turned to Remus, who at the mention of Moria had also stood down. "We'd better tie him up." He said simply. Pettigrew wailed and bolted around Harry in a last ditch effort for freedom...and collided with another figure who grabbed his arm and then tossed him back, past the two other men and Peter smacked into the opposing wall, the wood groaning from the pressure. The group looked at him stunned, before turning towards the door. Harry grinned.

"Bas!"

"…Okay, just making sure, he is someone that was going to try and flee the law right?" Basilio asked looking at the quivering heap on the other side of the room.

"Basilio…" Remus said, though the Italian man was looking nervously at Peter.

"I did just throw the right person right? This is that person Peter and not Sirius Black?"

"Yes that is Pettigrew." Remus replied, pointing at Sirius. "This would be Sirius Black."

"Oh good. For a second I thought I had just thrown Moria's husband…" Basilio chuckled nervously. "That would not have been fun to explain...and I'd probably be feeling that all the way home."

Sirius hadn't moved, staring at the tall man suspiciously, and Remus noted him moving protectively towards his godson, Basilio did as well and smiled.

"My name is Basilio Leoni, Auror of the Italian Ministry and friend of Moria Black." He greeted the escaped prisoner. Sirius blinked before his eyes narrowed.

"…Funny I've never heard of you." Sirius muttered and Basilio laughed.

"I'd be surprised if you had, since we met a year after she moved to Italy."

"Wait, when did she move to-"

"Padfoot, I'm sure there will be more time for explanations, but let's get going." Remus stated.

"Yeah…" Sirius stated, feeling lighter than he had in years. "Let's go."

* * *

**So I did a combination of movie/book lines descriptions for Peter's interrogation since I liked both versions, though the movie version was a bit...shorter than the book version (hence why the descriptions have more book than movie)**


	20. Time Flies

"What do you _mean_ that he isn't available?" Moria asked as she stood in front reception desk in the Ministry. The secretary looked at her blandly.

"Exactly what I mean."

"If you don't mind me saying, Giacintro Muraro doesn't work here. How can he not be available to come talk to me. He asked earlier this week for me to come by and visit!" She argued.

"Unfortunately he, along with Auror Shacklebolt, and Auror Tonks went out for some last minute details" The secretary replied, "if you wish, I'll leave a message for him when he gets back."

"Now I wouldn't want you to ruin your nails for that." Moria grumbled, before turning around and walking away. She pulled her jacket closer around her, wondering why, despite being late spring, she suddenly was getting the chills.

"Wonderful…" she grumbled, "I swear if I'm getting a bloody cold…"

Sighing she glanced at her watch and inwardly cursed. She was going to be a little late to meet up with Remus if she didn't leave right then. She sped walked down towards the floo channels, but paused when she felt a shiver run through her spine. She glanced over at the fountain in the center of the Ministry's foyer, unsure as to why her stomach flipped.

Something was happening…

What it was, she didn't know for sure.

* * *

Sirius kicked Wormtail's tied form out of the Whomping Willow's gap and the tiny man fell to the floor with a bang.

"Just a few more minutes, Petey," Sirius told him in an all-too-sweet voice. Dragging Peter to the Dementors had, so far, revealed itself to be an awfully enjoyable activity. "We'll get the Dementors for you in no time."

Peter whimpered as he struggled up and Sirius returned his attention to Ron and Harry, helping Ron down the steep incline.

"Sorry about the bite, I reckon that twinges a bit." He said and Ron looked at him incredulously.

"A bit? A bit? You almost tore my leg off!" he exclaimed and Sirius winced…okay not the brightest thing to do.

"I was going for the rat. Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog. In fact, more than once, James suggested that I make the change permanent. Even Moria agreed. The tail I could live with. But the fleas? They're murder." He said and heard Harry chuckle as they exited the tree stump. Gently the pair set Ron down, Hermione hurrying over to him.

"Ow, That looks really painful." She stated, looking at the wound, Ron seemed to take it in stride..

"It's sort of painful...they might have to chop it."

Hermione snorted.

"I'm sure Madame Pomfrey will fix it."

"It's too late. They're going to have to chop it."

Harry rolled his eyes, smirking then glanced behind him to see Sirius staring at the Hogwarts castle. Sirius jumped slightly as Harry walked up to him, relaxing a bit and turned to look back at the castle.

"Beautiful, isn't it? I'll never forget the first time I walked through those doors. It'll be nice to do it again. Freely." He finished, before glancing back at the rest of the group. "That was a noble thing you did back there. He doesn't deserve it."

Harry was silent for a moment, before shrugging.

"I don't reckon my father'd want his best friends to become killers for a worthless piece of vermin like Pettigrew. Besides: Dead, the truth dies with him. Alive...you're free."

"I am," Sirius finally replied with a nod. There was a brief moment of silence before he looked over at Harry. "You know that I am your godfather, right? Moria told you?"

Harry nodded with a smile. "She pretty much told me all about you and my parents when she raised Max and me."

"Wait, she raised you?" He asked. Of course he had expected her to be a part of his life but raising him…and Max…all by herself?

"Yeah, I even call her Mum...though I still think she gets surprised whenever she hears it," Harry confirmed, "She's pretty good at it too. We lived in Italy for a long time and she was an auror there, but she teaches History of Magic in here." Harry explained. "Says to watch over Max and me. Though it has to be mainly me considering all the trouble I've gotten into."

Sirius's head was swimming at the information he had been given. Moria had raised both children alone, lived in a different country, and to top it all off, she had become an auror? He swallowed, remembering Basilio and then the other auror. Likely they had known her from Italy...and he couldn't blame her if she hadn't waited.

"What you said down there… that she and Max were waiting for me… you weren't just saying that so I wouldn't kill Pettigrew, were you?" he asked.

"Of course not," Harry told him immediately. "I mean there were probably ones that had crushes on her, but she never went to any of them…I think she said once that it was only you and no one else. It's going to be interesting telling her all this. She suspected things, but I don't think she suspected this...though I think we're going to have to figure something out when we tell Max that Scabbers was a man in disguise. She...probably isn't going to be happy." Harry explained. Relief washed over Sirius as he heard that. He looked at the sky and breathed in the air of freedom. But then, he noticed something – up the sky, the moon was full. It took a few seconds for it to sink in.

It was full moon and they were out with a werewolf.

Sirius turned around abruptly. But it was too late. Behind them, Remus was already shaking, transforming. His fingers began to loosen on the hold of his wand.

"Oh, my…" Hermione gasped. "He's transforming!"

"Transforming?" Ron asked as he looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"He's a werewolf!" she yelled.

"You three, run!" Basilio snapped.

"But-"

"Just run!" He yelled, beginning to push the three away and back in the direction of the castle. He turned when he saw movement and spotted Pettigrew diving to the ground. "What the hell are you doing you creepy little ma-! No! Stop!"

Harry turned when he saw a flash and then a loud thud. Peter was staring at the now fallen Basilio in a panic and turned, aiming his wand at Sirius.

"Expelliarmus!"

The wand flicked away and Peter stared at Harry before giving a smile and slowly he began to shrink and then a rat scurried away.

Harry only managed to take a few steps before Sirius was thrown back and Harry stumbled back as the werewolf turned towards them.

And he thought about his Godmother...and if he survived this, she was going to kill him.

* * *

"Remus? Remus you in there?" a voice called out from beyond the door of his office. It opened and Moria peered in, looking confused. Where was that man? Why would he risk being out when it was a full moon? Sure he may have been taking Wolfsbane Potion and he kept his head…but he never left his office during that time. So why…

"Remus…come on it's me. You don't have to…"

She trailed off when she spotted the Marauder's Map on his desk, still showing every person who was walking around. A twinge of nostalgia crossed her mind before she blinked, spotting a small grouping towards where the Whomping Willow was. She blinked and her heart began to thud hard in her chest. She spotted Basilio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione's name…followed by Remus's. She first felt a flash of annoyance sweep through her. She had told Harry to stay inside. What's more, she had told Basilio to _watch_ him! Not follow him around and-

Her anger slipped away when she saw Sirius's name in the mix.

"What the bloody hell?!" She whispered out, staring at it and she spotted Pettigrew's name leaving the group hurriedly.

Then it dawned on her.

She had only suspected that Peter had thought Sirius the traitor...and by some off chance that she was aiding him, that that was why he had attacked them. In a vain effort for revenge that had been misguided. But, what if…

Suddenly she spotted a goblet on Remus's table, filled with a liquid. She had sat in this office enough times that year to know what the goblet contained. Her eyes widened and her heart plummeted.

"…No…" she whispered out before bolting out of the office, defying gravity as she vaulted off the stairs and took off down the halls, nearly bowling over several Prefects. Nearly Headless Nick floated towards her trying to keep up as she slid across a corner, scrambling towards the entrance.

"Nick, get McGonagall! Tell her to not let anyone out of the school!"

"Moria, what-"

"JUST DO IT!" Moria yelled shoving the front entrance doors open, breaking into a dead run to where she seen the small group's names on the map. She suddenly felt cold whip through her and looking up, saw Dementors gliding towards the forest, paying no mind to her.

"No….nononononononono-NO!"

In a dead run, she transformed into a fox, running into the darkness. For the briefest of moments, she lost her way, but then spotted a bright blue light and she took off towards it.

* * *

Sirius grunted in pain as he attempted to steady his vision, slowly regaining consciousness. He saw that Harry was out cold next to him, as was the girl and the Dementors were gone.

_"How?"_ he thought then shook his head. Bad move on his part because his vision began to swim. He then heard growling and quickly looked up. And saw a familiar form that he had seen multiple times. But at this moment, this wasn't a good time.

Remus had walked in, growling loudly, his eyes completely vacant, animalistic. Killing intent.

"Moony…Moony come on. Fight it." Sirius begged trying to stand and protect Harry and the girl...Hermione was it? But his body felt like it was being dragged down by weights. He was in no shape to fight and he knew it.

Remus snarled pacing back and forth looking at the two as though debating. However whatever side won in that internal debate wasn't the side Sirius was hoping for because Remus began to advance towards the pair. Sirius tried to move, to crawl over to Harry and Hermione in a vain attempt to protect them, but his whole side burned from where he had been thrown into the rocks by Remus, and his vision blurred.

Suddenly a small form darted from the brush, planting itself in front of Sirius and Harry, growling. Sirius numbly raised his head and felt his heartbeat quicken as he spotted the small brown fox that stood there, growling at Remus, its' tail flicking from side to side. He knew that brown fox. Moria.

"Moria…Moria don't. Run." he begged, his voice rough and weak as he fought back unconsciousness again. Moria made a glance behind her before returning her gaze to the werewolf, her growl growing louder. Remus howled and swung his large paw at her, which she dodged nimbly hopping sideways before rushing and chomping down on his arm. Remus howled loudly and snarled trying to shake the fox off, tossing and slamming her into a tree.

"Moria!" Sirius cried out hoarsely. Moria slid to the ground, before rising and shaking her head, growling weakly, her ears flat against her head. Remus returned towards advancing towards Sirius, Harry, and Hermione. Moria bolted towards Remus and jumped, this time latching onto his ear. Remus howled and spun around trying to force the vixen off of him. Finally he managed to throw her off and she landed, gracefully, one leg lifted slightly. Now his attention was solely on her and she bolted away, him following.

Sirius tried to stand but his body at that moment wouldn't let him. His vision began to darken and his body began to sink into the darkness that had begun to grow. His last thought before he lost consciousness was the danger they were all in before he welcomed the darkness.

* * *

Moria panted wildly as she hid behind a tree trunk. She could hear Remus lumbering past her, angrily growling; trying to find her. She quietly crept around the corner and grabbed a rock. She then lobbed it across and heard it crash into the brush. Remus's head snapped up as he snarled before following it. She waited a few seconds before she bolted back towards the lake, her breath coming out in short gasps as she raced down the hill, ignoring the pain in her ankle. She slid Harry's side automatically checking for a pulse and let out a sigh and laugh of relief as she heard a strong beat coming from him coupled with a small groan. He was okay. She did the same with Hermione and to her relief came to the same conclusion, both were okay.

Slowly her gaze shifted to the still form that lay several feet away from Harry.

"Sirius…" she called weakly. He made no movement. "Sirius!" she called out, now crawling to him. Her throat felt as though it had been torn out. Please…dear Merlin…please! Don't take him away from her. Not when she just got him back. Please!

"Sirius Orion Black! Wake up!" She cried out as she finally reached him cradling his head in her arms, finally feeling tears sliding down her face as a sob tore out of her throat. Please. He was needed here. With her. Don't take him away from her. Please-!

"…cry…" she heard and blinked looking down and locked onto partially opened grey eyes that were glazed over. Slowly a hand crept up and cupped her cheek, running a dirty thumb over it most likely smudging a dark line, but she didn't care.

"Don't…cry…" he murmured out and she let out a weak laugh, smiling through her tears. He smiled slightly, weakly.

"There it is…" he said and she cocked her head to the side.

"What?" she asked, her voice barely rising to a whisper. His eyes were closed now, and he looked relieved.

"That laugh…I thought I would never hear that laugh again…" he mumbled and she bit her lip, trying to stifle a sob.

"Please…please if you still love me, don't you _**dare**_ die." She begged and she felt him shift almost trying to look at her.

"…if?"

"You do." She said her voice weak but she still managed a small laugh. "You still do…I know you do."

She thought she heard him say 'smart girl' before losing consciousness again. But the quiet was destroyed by the sound of crashing brush. She looked up expecting Remus to have come back.

It was worse.

Severus followed by several of the other teachers came rushing in. Snape stared at her with a sort of sneer that she wished she could punch, rip it off and shove it down his throat. Instead her grip tightened on Sirius's robes and she probably looked like a lioness protecting its' young, but the look must have gone unnoticed by them as they walked up to her.

"Well done Moria, you and Severus caught him before he could get Harry!" she heard Flitwick say. She tried to say that that wasn't true, but she felt them begin to take Sirius away from her and she almost yelled at them to back off, but was stopped as a hand touched her shoulder. She looked up to see Dumbledore with a look of defeat on his face. There wasn't a way that they could save him now…not like this.

Slowly and—to her—almost painfully, he was taken away from her and as it had been twelve years ago, she felt her world crack and shatter…till she was once again nothing.

* * *

Harry sluggishly moved around as he was pulled out of unconsciousness to yelling. He looked around and realized he was in the hospital wing. Hermione was sitting on another bed and he realized, comforting Max, while Ron looked sullen. Basilio was lying in a nearby bed.

Why would she...

"-he didn't do anything!"

"I am aware of that, and I believe Ms. Granger's story."

"But you won't intervene!?"

"The word of three 13-year-old wizards will convince few others. A child's voice, however honest and true...is meaningless to those who have forgotten how to listen."

"But they're going to kill him!"  
And then it came crashing back into him.

Sirius.

He scrambled up out of the bed and hurried to the front doors to see his godmother yelling at Dumbledore. Her eyes were blotchy and red and she looked up, glancing away as Max came to Harry's side.

"Headmaster, you stop them." Harry exclaimed. "They've got the wrong man. It's true. Sirius is innocent."

"I understand my boy."

"It's Scabbers who did it."

"Scabbers?" Moria commented, confused as she looked at Ron.

"He's my rat. He's not really a rat. He was a rat. He was my brother Percy's rat. But then they gave him an owl…" Ron began to explain.

"The point is, we know the truth. "

"And I do believe you. However Mr. Leoni is unconscious, and Cornelius is likely to not believe you without prove."

"But-"

"Mysterious thing, time…" Dumbledore interrupted Moria's rant, leading the woman away, handing Max an envelope. "Powerful...and when meddled with, dangerous. Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower." He explained, looking at Hermione, Harry, and Max, the former of the three looking pensive.

"You know the laws, Miss Granger. You must not be seen. And you would do well, I feel, to return before this last chime. If not, the consequences are too ghastly to discuss. If you succeed tonight...more than one innocent life may be spared. And Miss Black. You'll know who and when to give that letter to."

"Albus, what are you-"

Dumbledore tugged Moria through the doorway.

"Three turns should do it, I think. Oh, and by the way. When in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin. Good luck."

And he closed the door with a quiet click. There was a moment of silence.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron snapped as Hermione fiddled with something around her neck and tugged Max and Harry to her.

"Sorry, Ron, but seeing as you can't walk…" She trailed off, looping a chain around the two confused siblings.

"Not that I mind, and it's a lovely piece of jewelry, Hermione...but what does that have to do-"

Hermione didn't answer instead twirled the strange looking charm on the end of her neck three times.

* * *

"Is it normal for Italian aurors to go this far into a case that isn't even theirs?"

"You should have seen Moria on one case." Giacintro remarked as he climbed over something that stank to high heaven.

"Why are we even here? Anything that was there 12 years ago would be gone by now and there's enough evidence already to at least free Sirius or grant him a trial."

"Mm." Giacintro responded, continuing down the sewer line. He paused when he saw a crack. It was clear it had slow crack, nothing that would be noticed right away by muggles, though it was bound to have to be closed up soon.

Something glimmered inside of it.

"Ew!" Tonks whispered as he stuck his hand into the crack. "Do you know how many germs and things could be in that? That-"

Slowly he pulled out a wand, mildew and gunk from years of disuse growing on it. It looked like it was a wand, mahogany if he was right, nearly eight and one-quarter inches long.

"...Oh my god."

"...we need to see the Minister. Now."


End file.
